


Clarity

by Attenia



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, M/M, Panic Attacks, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:40:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Attenia/pseuds/Attenia
Summary: Aragorn is in love with Legolas, but he knows the prince will never feel the same. Even if he did, their a relationship between them would be impossible. Such relations between men and elves never worked. But if the relationship is doomed, why is Legolas the only thing that makes sense to him? Trigger warning for panic attacks.Inspired by this music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73tylI5QjZw&t=11s
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91





	1. Chapter 1

Estel

Estel leaned over to see how Legolas was doing. “Why are you putting your father with Glorfindel? They’ll kill each other!”  
“My father likes Glorfindel, Estel.”  
“Yes, until he starts making out with Erestor, then Thranduil throws a fit, and Glorfindel stands up to defend Erestor’s honor… you see where I’m going with this?”  
“You have a good point,” Legolas admitted. “Perhaps I’d better put him here?”  
“Really, Estel, we’re planning your coming of age party, not your betrothal. What does it matter where everyone sits?”  
Despite his words, Elladan was poring over a sheath of notes on the different guests, marking in red the ones that couldn’t sit together. Elrohir was working on a similar list, marking in green those guests he thought would be a good match to sit at the same table.  
“Because I don’t want my party to involve bloodshed.”  
“Where’s the fun without a little bloodshed?” Elladan grinned at his youngest brother.  
“No bloodshed!” Estel said firmly.  
Legolas sighed and rolled over so that his head was resting on Estel’s back. Estel stayed where he was, lying on his stomach on the floor as he pored over the menu options. He smiled at the familiar, comforting weight of his best friend in the world. Though he was coming of age, he knew nothing would change between him and Legolas.  
That thought was one of both joy and distress. Estel valued Legolas’ friendship more than he could ever express, but somewhere along the line, he’d fallen in love with his best friend.  
Of course, he knew that Legolas would never see him that way. Despite the fact that he was soon to be an adult by human estimation, he was still an infant in comparison with Legolas’ many years. He would have to be content with the elf’s friendship. Estel knew he was lucky to have a friend such as Legolas, and he tried to keep that in mind when his thoughts strayed to fantasies of romance.  
“Estel? Calling Estel. Is there anyone alive in there?” Elrohir rapped his knuckles sharply on the top of Estel’s head.  
“Ow! Get away, El. Ada will murder you if I have a concussion on my birthday.”  
“Serves you right for daydreaming while the rest of us slave away here.” Elrohir shot a filthy look at Legolas, who was now napping, his breathing light and even, and his head still resting on Estel’s back.  
Estel got returned to his work, making sure not to move too much so as not to disturb Legolas. He finally decided on all of the meal courses and handed the paper over to Elrohir. “Give this to Ada, El?”  
“You have legs, lazy human.”  
“In case you hadn’t noticed, Legolas is currently using me as a pillow.”  
“So wake him up. A little less sleep won’t kill him.”  
Estel shook his head. “He needs the rest. He hasn’t been sleeping well recently.”  
The twins exchanged a significant look. They all knew that things at Greenwood weren’t as they should be. Legolas and his people had been fighting back the evil there for too long, and the strain was showing on the prince. He often had nightmares, though he would never speak of them.  
“He’ll be fine, Estel. Just give him a few days.” Elrohir got to his feet with Estel’s catering list in his hand.  
“A few days? I hardly think the evil will be driven out of Greenwood in a few days.”  
“Trust me, Estel, everything will be fine. Legolas is well.” Elladan exchanged another look with Elrohir, one that Estel didn’t understand.  
“Do you two know something I don’t?”  
“No,” the twins said together.  
“You do! What is it?”  
“Nothing,” the said at the same time. Estel always knew something was up when the spoke in unison like that.  
“Don’t you keep this from me! Legolas is too stubborn to go to anyone for help; you know that. If you know something, you have to tell me. He’s my best friend. I only want what’s best for him.”  
Elladan sighed. “Estel, we can’t. You would never divulge anything you knew a friend wanted to be kept secret. We can do no less. Legolas is our friend, too, you know.”  
Estel’s frustration drained away. Of course, if the twins knew something that Legolas didn’t want shared, they couldn’t tell him. He would do no less. It just hurt that Legolas had something he felt he couldn’t tell Estel. Estel told him everything… apart from the most important thing, of course.  
But he couldn’t tell Legolas that, not if he wanted to keep their friendship. If he confessed his love, he was sure that Legolas would feel it unfair to continue their friendship, and Estel would do anything not to lose what they had, even if it wasn’t everything he wanted. He would love Legolas quietly and be content with what the prince could give him.  
“Did he tell you something?”  
“Some things don’t need to be said. We’re more observant than you give us credit for, you know.” Elladan crossed out another name on his list.  
So, Legolas hadn’t told them anything. He was keeping his problems to himself, as he always did. The twins must have guessed something. Estel wondered what they had figured out. He was usually the understood Legolas the best. He sometimes felt like he could see the elf’s soul through his eyes.  
Elrohir left with the list for Elrond and Elladan kept working on his own list. Estel stared off into the distance, lost in thought. Something had been bothering Legolas recently, and if it wasn’t the situation at his home, it was something else. Estel was determined to find out what it was.  
Elladan finished with his list and went to give it to Elrond, leaving Estel and Legolas alone. Estel waited patiently for Legolas to wake. When the prince finally did, Estel jostled him slightly. “Up with you, lazy elf.”  
Legolas yawned and sat up. “What time is it?”  
“Almost time for dinner.”  
“I’m sorry, Estel. I promised to help you with the planning for your party, and I fell asleep. I only meant to rest for a few moments.”  
“Do not worry over it, mellon nin. Whatever we didn’t manage to finish up with arranging today, Erestor will have sorted by tomorrow. Remember, he was reluctant to allow me a hand in planning my own party to begin with.”  
“Still, I should have made more effort to stay awake.’  
“It’s not that which I’m unhappy about. I’m worried about you, Legolas. You’re not sleeping well. Is it the nightmares?”  
Legolas shrugged. He was as uncommunicative as ever when it came to talking about his troubles.  
“You should speak to Ada. Maybe he can give you something to help with the dreams.”  
“Do not worry about me, Estel. I am fine.”  
“You’re a horrible liar, mellon nin.”  
“And you’re a horrible pest, smelly human.”  
Estel reluctantly allowed Legolas to change the subject. “Not as smelly as you’ll be after the twins pull their next prank on you. They weren’t at all happy that you dozed off and left them with all the work. They mentioned that it was about time to prank you again.”  
Legolas’ eyes widened in alarm, and Estel burst out laughing.  
“Not funny, Estel,” Legolas muttered. “I wouldn’t put it past them to do something just like that. They don’t need provocation, merely targets. What good is it being a prince if two silly Noldor can cover your favorite tunic in horse dung with no qualms whatsoever?”  
“No good at all when it comes to the twins.”  
Despite his words, Estel knew that Legolas appreciated the twins’ way with him. They were some of the few who weren’t intimidated by his title. They treated him like a person rather than like royalty. His brothers could be exasperating at times, but Estel loved them fiercely, and he knew Legolas felt the same.  
Legolas was like family here in Imladris. He came here often to get away from the depressing situation in Greenwood. No one else knew that Estel longed to do things with Legolas that were certainly not acceptable to do with family.  
He could confide in his father or brothers, of course, but he didn’t want to see their expressions of pity, or hear their consoling words. They would simply confirm what he already knew – that Legolas could never see him in that way.  
Elrond would offer him comfort, and the twins would offer him distraction. He had been on the brink of telling them multiple times, but he always held back. Estel kept his love for Legolas safe in his heart. He probably would do so until the day he died.  
The rest of the day was spent working on last minute party plans. The twins caused chaos by trying to smuggle a nest of bees into the dining hall. Unfortunately – or fortunately – the sedative they’d given the bees wore off before they had intended. No doubt, they had wanted the bees to cause their chaos in the middle of Estel’s party, but instead, it cleared the dining hall for an hour before the bees could be chased out.  
Estel and Legolas were hiding out in the prince’s chambers, waiting for the unusually aggressive bees to be taken outside of Imladris. Estel wouldn’t have put it past his brothers to have bred them specially for the perfect prank at his coming of age party.  
The door suddenly burst open, and the twins rushed in, looking frazzled.  
Estel frowned at them, but didn’t say anything.  
“Estel, quick, hide us!” Elladan glanced over his shoulder while Elrohir bolted the door.  
“Since when did you take to hiding from your problems?”  
“Since one of our bees stung Erestor.” Elrohir was paler than usual, and double checked the bolt.  
Estel and Legolas both burst out laughing. “So, Glorfindel is out for your blood?” Estel guessed between chuckles.  
“What a brilliant observation, Estel,” Elladan snapped. “Now hide us before he has our heads.”  
“Not a chance. You got yourselves into this mess.” Estel raised his voice. “Glorfindel, they’re in here!”  
The twins bolted.  
Estel flopped back onto the bed, resting his head on Legolas’ stomach, giggling.  
“Serves them right,” Legolas murmured, still smiling.  
“That it does.”  
Once the bees were gone, Estel and Legolas went back to supervising the decorations in the hall. Erestor’s right cheek was swollen, and Glorfindel was storming around with his sword drawn.  
By the end of the day, Estel was exhausted, but excited. His birthday was the very next day. He was sure he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but the long day had his eyelids drooping mere moments after he got into bed. He was asleep in minutes.  
Estel was woken in the middle of the night by a soft knock on his door. “Come in,” he called. He knew who it was.  
Legolas slunk in, his eyes down and his expression guilty.  
“Another nightmare?”  
Legolas nodded. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Estel.”  
“Nonsense.” Estel pulled back the covers. “Come in.”  
Legolas eagerly joined him in bed and burrowed his head into Estel’s side. Estel wrapped his arms around his friend, wishing more than anything that he could will Legolas’ nightmares away.  
His traitorous cock started rising in response to Legolas’ proximity. The prince was wearing nothing but his night gown, which did little to hide his fine form beneath.  
Not now, Estel told himself harshly. Legolas was distressed. He couldn’t believe his body would betray him like this, but it was far from unusual. Almost every time he was close to Legolas, he responded, no matter how much time they spent together.  
Sometimes, Estel felt like he spent more time brainstorming how to hide inconvenient erections than focusing on his studies with Elrond.  
“Do you want to talk about it?”  
“No.” Legolas’ answer was always the same, but Estel had to ask.  
He started rubbing Legolas’ back. Legolas sighed and snuggled himself closer.  
It was in these quiet moments that Estel’s thoughts became louder. He imagined moving his head just a little and pressing a kiss to Legolas’ lips. They were so close together, it would hardly take any movement at all.  
He wondered how Legolas would react if he were to confess his love now. The temptation was always there. Estel fought it back viciously. Legolas would never want him in that way, and he would only ruin their friendship by trying for something he’d never have.  
“Estel? What is wrong?”  
“I should be asking you that, mellon nin. Saes, tell me what is the matter.”  
“I have already told you. My home is overrun by darkness –”  
“I know that. I mean, what else is there? I can tell it’s more than that.”  
“I am just… nervous about the party tomorrow.”  
Estel snorted. “Legolas, you must have been to a thousand different functions of Thranduil’s, all of them more intimidating than my coming of age party. Please don’t insult my intelligence.”  
He expected a quick response, something that would lead them into their usual banter, but Legolas was quiet. Maybe he really was nervous about the party… but why? Estel couldn’t think of a single reason for him to be. Unless…  
“Are you truly worried about how your father will react to Glorfindel and Erestor?”  
“You know that he doesn’t approve of love between males, Estel. It doesn’t help that Glorfindel and Erestor can’t be trusted to keep their hands off each other for more than a couple of minutes.”  
If he had his way, Estel wouldn’t keep his hands off Legolas for more than a couple of minutes, but he had to be content with their nighttime cuddles, which had become more and more frequent as time went on. Estel was worried that Legolas’ nightmares were getting worse, but he couldn’t deny that they had their advantages. He’d take more time being close to Legolas for any reason.  
“He wouldn’t dare cause a scene in Imladris. Ada would have his head.”  
“Lord Elrond knows better than to start a war with Greenwood.”  
“Then we have nothing to worry about, do we?”  
Legolas smiled faintly. “I guess not.”  
Estel could tell when Legolas drifted off, even though his eyes were open. He spent so much time staring at Legolas, he’d learned to read the prince’s smallest movements and expressions.  
Estel wanted to stay awake, to watch Legolas sleep. He was so peaceful when he slept, looking much younger than he did when he was awake. He was truly beautiful. Estel knew he wouldn’t be able to stay awake for long, though. He was so content and relaxed with Legolas in his arms that he already felt his mind pulling him toward sleep.  
Nothing was better than waking with Legolas resting his head on Estel’s chest, Estel’s arms wrapped around the elf. Estel was smiling as he fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Estel

Estel was woken early in the morning by something hitting his head. He groaned and covered his head with his pillow. Legolas was wrapped around him like an octopus, and Estel’s cock started to rise.  
He shoved his hips backward, making sure that Legolas wouldn’t be able to feel his erection.   
Something else hit the pillow now on top of his head. “Get up, Estel! Presents!”  
“Go away, El,” Estel groaned. “It’s my birthday, I get to sleep in.”  
Elladan responded by throwing another gift at Estel’s pillow.  
Estel sighed and gently shook Legolas. “We are under attack, mellon nin.”  
Legolas woke easily and sat up, looking at the twins. Neither of them were in the least bit surprised to find Legolas in Estel’s bed. They also knew that the two friends sleeping together was purely platonic.   
Estel grumbled as he sat up, but brightened at the armful of presents the twins were holding, poised to throw more if he refused to get up. Elrond entered and smiled warmly at Estel.  
“Happy birthday, Estel. You’re a man now.”  
Estel got up and hugged his father. “Thank you, Ada. Did you come to save me from the twins?”  
“Always, ion nin. I should think that it’s rather risky of them to be here, given that Glorfindel knows where Estel’s chambers are.” He glanced at the twins, his eyes twinkling.   
Elladan shrugged. “We’ll risk out heads for a little bit longer. We want to watch Estel open his presents.”  
Estel knew that elves didn’t celebrate birthdays. When you lived forever, the years started to blend into each other. When Elrond had adopted him, he’d made sure to bring some human traditions into his household so that Estel wouldn’t lose all of his heritage.  
Estel dug into his presents with a vengeance, exclaiming in delight as each new one was revealed. He got a fine set of daggers from the twins, a beautifully embossed leather bag containing an extensive collection of healing supplies from Elrond, a magnificent sword from Glorfindel and Erestor, a fine tunic from Arwen, and various other things from his friends around Imladris.   
Estel tossed some of the wrapping paper at the twins, who caught it, balled it up and promptly started throwing it at each other. Estel laughed as he watched.   
Legolas tapped his shoulder. “Did you forget mine?”  
“You know you don’t need to get me anything, mellon nin. Just the joy of your presence is more than enough.”  
“Nevertheless, I did get you something. Here.”  
Legolas handed him a leather bound book. Estel opened it curiously and gasped. The first page was filled with a drawing of him when he was young – he couldn’t be more than five – with Legolas crouching down next to him, holding his little hand.   
It was beautifully done. Estel knew Legolas was good at drawing – he was good at just about everything – but he’d never seen much of the prince’s artwork. Legolas preferred to keep his sketches private, and despite his complaints, Estel had respected his friend’s wishes.   
The next page was filled with writing. 

I met Estel today. He is truly a delightful child. I can see why Elrond chose to adopt him. I have the feeling that the two of us are going to be very good friends…

Estel’s eyes teared up as he read. He flicked through the rest of the book. There must be dozens of entries in here. Each one was preceded by a wonderfully drawn picture, then by a page or two of writing.   
All of the happiest times he’d shared with Legolas were in here. Estel flung his arms around Legolas.  
“Thank you.” He couldn’t think of words big enough to express how much he loved his gift, but he suspected Legolas understood.   
Legolas squeezed him tightly. “It is my pleasure, Estel.”  
Estel went back to perusing his book. He saw that there were a number of empty pages.   
“For the future,” Legolas explained. “We have many happy memories yet to make, Estel.”  
A twinge of sadness went through him. Of all the memories they would make in the future, none of them would be the ones he truly wanted. Estel pasted a wide smile onto his face, not wanting Legolas to see his sudden melancholy.   
“Are you going to draw me a picture for each new entry? Your drawing skills far surpass mine.”  
“As do my penmanship skills. Would you like me to write the rest of the entries for you too?”  
Estel smacked Legolas over the head with a pillow. “My penmanship is fine, thank you very much!”  
“Of course… if you’re comparing it to a ten year old’s.”  
“You’ll pay for that one, mellon nin!”  
Estel grabbed Legolas’ wrists in one of his and tickled the elf mercilessly. Legolas squirmed and giggled, eventually managing to break free. Estel leapt up to pursue the prince, but Legolas turned the tables on him, spinning around and tackling him.  
Estel fell heavily to the floor with Legolas on top of him. Legolas pulled up his shirt and started tickling his belly. Estel giggled madly as he tried to twist away. Fortunately, the ticklishness was so all-consuming that Legolas’ proximity didn’t set off a physical reaction in his over eager cock.   
Elrond and the twins came to stand by the door, their expressions amused. “If you two are quite done, I believe there are guests wanting to speak with you, Estel.”  
Legolas gave Estel one more jab in the stomach for good measure before leaping up lightly and offering the human his hand. “We wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.”  
Estel couldn’t resist poking Legolas in the ribs as they set off, but a raised eyebrow from Elrond stopped them from going any further with their game.   
The rest of the day was a blur of well wishers and gifts. Estel hadn’t known that this many people in Imladris even knew his name, let alone wanted to wish him a happy birthday and give him presents. By the time evening rolled around, he was feeling warm, loved and content.   
There was only one thing that could complete his happiness, but Estel put that from his mind.   
The huge dining hall was already starting to fill when Estel and Legolas walked in to take their places.   
“Estel!”  
“Arwen!” Estel headed toward her at a dead run, scooping his sister up in his arms and twirling her around. “It’s so good to see you! Thank you for coming.”  
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Estel.”  
Next, Estel greeted Thranduil with considerably more decorum. The elven king still intimidated him, even though Estel had met him many times during his stays at Greenwood, which he visited often to spend time with Legolas. His brothers had always accompanied him before, but now that he was a man, Ada had promised to let him go alone if he wanted to.   
The dinner started off stately and formal. Estel sat on Elrond’s right with Legolas next to him. The twins had a place next to Legolas, and Thranduil was on Elrond’s other side. Glorfindel and Erestor were next to the twins, a good way away from Thranduil.   
Estel soon forgot all about the seating arrangements as the food and wine was brought in. Thranduil had brought him a gift of some Lake Town wine, which was stronger than the wine served in Imladris, and which Estel greatly favored.   
By the time the second course rolled around, Estel was tipsy. As he tucked in to dessert, he realized he was drunk. Estel wasn’t worried. He was surrounded by his friends and family. They would take care of him.   
As he scraped the last of his dessert of his plate, the music started, music Estel had painstakingly selected. The first song was a slow, romantic one. Already, couples were stepping together onto the dance floor. Glorfindel spun Erestor around before pulling him back close to his chest.   
“Legolas! Dance with me!”  
It wasn’t something he’d ever have the nerve to ask if he wasn’t drunk, but Estel was high on wine and feeling daring.   
Legolas looked taken aback for a moment. “Of course, Estel.”  
Estel staggered slightly as he led the prince onto the dance floor. He noticed that Thranduil was glaring daggers at the two of them. The twins leapt onto the dance floor and began to dance with each other, which seemed to put a halt to Thranduil’s anger.   
Watching the twins dance so close to Estel and Legolas emphasized that even this romantic song could be danced to in a purely platonic way.   
That wasn’t Estel’s intention, but Legolas undoubtedly saw it that way, and they were fortunate that Thranduil did. Thankfully, Estel’s tunic was long enough to cover his erection. He just needed to be sure not to hold Legolas too close, or the prince would be able to feel it.   
Estel leaned his head against Legolas’ chest. “I love you, ‘Las,” he slurred.   
“You are drunk, Estel.”  
“Still love you.”  
“As I love you, my silly human.”  
It didn’t need to be clarified that Legolas meant he loved Estel as a friend and a brother. Estel was all too aware of that. Legolas had never treated him as anything other than family, and had given no sign that would ever change.  
Estel sighed, staring up into Legolas’ beautiful blue eyes. “Your eyes are like the ocean.”  
Legolas huffed a laugh. “Thank you, Estel.”  
Estel knew he was going to get teased about this tomorrow, but he didn’t care, not when he was so happy here in Legolas’ arms.   
As the song ended, Estel grabbed Legolas’ hand and pulled him out of the hall, into a deserted corridor.   
“What are we doing here, Estel? Arwen will never forgive you if you don’t dance with her.”  
“Don’t want Arwen. Want you.”  
Estel leaned forward to press his lips to Legolas’.  
Legolas turned his head aside, so that the kiss landed on his cheek. “You have had too much to drink, Estel. Don’t do something you’ll regret in the morning.”  
He patted Estel on the shoulder and left.  
Estel managed to wait until Legolas was out of sight before he let his knees buckle. Tears streamed down his cheeks.   
Legolas didn’t want him. Of course, he’d known that, but that didn’t mean the rejection didn’t hurt. Legolas would never want him. Estel had told himself that a million times, and yet he’d still gone and put himself in a position that would only end in heartbreak for him.  
He was never drinking again.  
“Estel? What are you doing on the floor? Up you come, gwador.”  
Elrohir pulled him to his feet and got a good look at Estel’s face. “What’s wrong, Estel? What happened?”  
“I – I –” Estel couldn’t tell him. Speaking of his rejection would only make it sting worse. “Nothing.”  
To his great surprise, Elrohir simply nodded. There was no way he believed Estel’s feeble lie, but perhaps he was trying to help Estel maintain his dignity by pretending he had. “I never knew you were a weepy drunk. Come on, let’s go splash some water on your face, and then you’re going back in there.”  
“I don’t know if I can…” Estel wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed and cry.   
“You can, and you will. Come on, Estel, you’ll regret it later if you don’t participate in your own party.”  
Estel let himself be dragged along to the nearest bathroom. He let Elrohir wipe his tears away and lead him back to the hall. Estel forcibly pushed the image of Legolas turning his cheek aside out of his mind.   
He was good at pushing thoughts and emotions aside when it came to Legolas; he’d had abundant practice. Estel managed to smile as he put the issue aside for further thought later. This was his party, and he was supposed to enjoy it.  
He danced with Arwen, and a number of other elves who had come to his party. Estel even started to enjoy it again, almost managing to forget what had happened.  
Legolas was nowhere to be seen.   
It was only later that night, when he was alone in his chambers, that Estel truly allowed himself to think about what had happened again.  
As the alcohol started to wear off, the true consequences of what he had done began to filter into his mind.   
What had he done? The very thing he’d told himself he couldn’t do, and he’d gone and done it.   
What would happen to his friendship with Legolas now? Now that Legolas knew how he felt, he’d surely feel it was unfair to lead Estel on by continuing to be friends with him. Estel had ruined everything.   
He bit back a cry of horror. How could he have messed up so badly?  
There had to be a way to fix this. He couldn’t lose Legolas’ friendship. The heartbreak he felt now was nothing compared to how he would feel if Legolas were to leave him entirely.   
He’d use the alcohol as an excuse. Surely, that would work. He’d tell Legolas that he was simply drunk, and that he didn’t truly have romantic feelings for him. He’d apologize for his reckless and inappropriate behavior and beg Legolas to forgive him.   
Some of the horror started to fade as hope took hold. Legolas wouldn’t begrudge him getting drunk on his birthday, and any actions that happened as a result of that drink were excusable. At least, that was the hope that Estel clung to.   
Tears came again as he remembered his lips brushing against Legolas’ cheek. Estel curled himself into a ball, wishing Legolas was here to comfort him, even though he wouldn’t be able to tell his friend what the comfort was for. He had half a mind to go and find the prince, but Estel didn’t want to make the situation any worse than it already was.  
Legolas would no doubt insist that Estel tell him what was wrong. He’d get it out of Estel somehow, and then there would be no excusing his words on the fast fading effects of alcohol.   
No, Estel would have to comfort himself, unless he chose to confide in his family. He imagined crawling into his Ada’s bed, something he hadn’t done in many years. Elrond would welcome him, of course, and soothe him as only a father could.  
Estel resisted, though. Sharing his secret would more likely end in disaster than not. While Elrond would be sympathetic, it was no secret that relationships between elves and humans never worked. Elrond might insist that Estel end his friendship with Legolas to protect both of their hearts.   
While he was an adult and could do what he wanted to, Estel didn’t want this to cause a rift between him and his family. Elrond and the twins loved Legolas like a son and brother, and they wouldn’t want to see him hurt.   
Estel’s heart sank even further as he heard their arguments in his head. For a man and an elf to fall in love was a tragedy. When the man died, the elf would fade from grief, and there would be no chance for them to be together after death.   
No, Estel couldn’t tell them. Even if Legolas requited his love, how could he ask the prince to sacrifice his immortal life for one man? He couldn’t. It wasn’t fair to either of them.  
This love simply was not to be.


	3. Chapter 3

Legolas

As he always did when he was distressed, Legolas ran for the trees. He went right to the outskirts of Imladris, finding a tall old oak that would hide him well.  
Nestled in its branches, Legolas finally let his tears fall. This was all wrong. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.   
He had been in love with his best friend for years. Years, he’d waited, and it all ended in disaster.   
It wouldn’t have been right to try to start a relationship with Estel before he was of age. Legolas had been waiting forever for this night, the night when he would finally confess his love to the human.   
He didn’t know whether Estel felt the same, but he was willing to take the risk. He had to trust that if Estel didn’t feel the same, their friendship could survive it.   
When Estel had tried to kiss him, Legolas had wanted with all his heart to kiss him back, but again, it wouldn’t be right. Estel was drunk and not fully in control of his actions. Legolas would be taking advantage of him to kiss him back.   
Legolas banged the back of his head against the tree trunk. What was he supposed to do now? If Estel did feel the same, he was probably thinking right now that Legolas didn’t love him. If he didn’t, he was probably embarrassed and upset by his own actions. He was supposed to be enjoying his big night, and Legolas had ruined it.  
He should never have let Estel pull him from the room. It had felt too much like a romantic interlude, when Legolas had known that there could be no romantic interlude until Estel was fully sober.   
But Legolas’ heart had gotten away from him, and he’d allowed the encounter to continue until he absolutely couldn’t justify it anymore.   
More than anything, even more than his burning self-reprisal, Legolas hoped. Drink often did nothing more than loosen one’s boundaries. Had Estel really wanted to kiss him, and it took the drink to give him the courage? Or was Legolas just hopelessly in love and reading too much into the actions of a drunk man?  
Legolas’ big love confession was ruined by Estel’s drunkenness, something he should have considered as a possibility in his plans. That didn’t mean Legolas couldn’t make it up to him, though.   
He sat up a little straighter, liking the idea. He’d stay up all night if he had to, getting what he needed ready.   
“Help me, my friend,” Legolas murmured, pressing his hand to the trunk of the oak tree he was sitting in.   
The tree whispered back to him, directing him. Legolas hopped lightly down and started walking through the forest. He took a right at a small pond and found what he had been seeking. Flowers – beautiful flowers in all colors. Legolas started picking them, being careful to leave the stems and roots intact so that the plants could regrow themselves.   
Legolas picked up fallen branches and twisted them into an arch that he intended to fill with flowers. Tomorrow, he would bring Estel here to this arch and kiss him under it. Then, he would know Estel’s true feelings, one way or the other.   
Legolas let his mind wander as he worked, arranging the flowers so that the colors were smoothly merging like a rainbow.   
He was more grateful than he could ever express to have Estel in his life, even at the price it cost him.  
Legolas knew that when Estel died, he would die too. He loved the man too much for it to be otherwise, whether or not Estel returned his love. When he had first started realizing his own feelings, Legolas had been terrified. His immortal life, suddenly reduced to a mere score of years… for weeks, he hadn’t been able to sleep for fear that Estel might die suddenly, pulling Legolas’ own life to a close too.   
Estel had been worried, of course, when he saw Legolas’ anxiety, but Legolas had refused to tell him what was wrong. Estel had still been a child at the time, of only eighteen years, and was too young to know his own feelings. That was seven years ago. Now, Estel was age. He was a man.   
Legolas smiled to himself as he worked on threading flowers through the arch. He was so proud of Estel and everything he had accomplished. Already, he was an excellent swordsman and he was swiftly growing in proficiency with the bow. His healing skills were advanced, thanks to Elrond, and he had the kindest, purest soul of anyone Legolas had ever met.   
In the dark, alone except for the trees, Legolas allowed himself to indulge in a fantasy. He was here, kissing Estel. Estel loved Legolas back, and they were going to be together. Legolas let Estel lower him to the ground as he kissed him deeply…  
Legolas groaned as his cock started to rise. He was too attracted to Estel for his own good. It was a miracle Estel hadn’t noticed that Legolas seemed to have an erection about half the time they were together. Legolas had had to be very, very careful.   
He imagined himself and Estel getting dressed and heading back to Imladris… the fantasy came screeching to a halt there.  
Legolas knew that Elrond and the twins would never approve. They would be worried about him fading after Estel died. They wouldn’t want Legolas in a relationship that would ultimately kill him.   
Legolas didn’t care about that anymore. As terrified as he had been at first, he wouldn’t change a thing. It was worth it, loving Estel, even if Estel could never love him back in the same way.  
The only thing that still grieved Legolas was that after they died, he and Estel wouldn’t be together again until the world was unmade. He could only hope that he wasn’t left alone long. His family would comfort him – both his family here in Imladris, and his parents, who would be reunited when Thranduil sailed.   
Legolas sighed as he thought of his father. If the twins and Elrond were opposed to his relationship with Estel, Thranduil would be incensed. He would want to kill Estel for daring to endanger his son’s life. He would oppose them with a passion that Legolas didn’t know how to outrun.  
He forced his mind back to the flowers. These were problems for him and Estel to discuss together, if it turned out that Estel felt the same as him. Their relationship seemed impossible, tragic, doomed… the only thing that was clear in the muddy waters of his thoughts was that he loved Estel.   
Legolas held onto that, letting the rest be no more than so much background noise. Estel was his clarity; he needed nothing more.   
He finally finished attaching the flowers. Legolas stood back to admire the effect. It was quite stunning, if he did say so himself. He wondered whether he should go back to his chambers or sleep out here.   
Maybe he’d have better luck sleeping in the trees. Sleep had been difficult over the past few weeks. Anxiety about his confession to Estel had kept him up. Legolas knew that he would be fine come tomorrow; he would have his answer, then.   
He didn’t want to be exhausted, though. If Estel did feel the same, Legolas didn’t intend to sleep that night. He would spend it worshipping Estel’s body. He definitely needed to sleep tonight.   
Legolas wandered back to the oak tree and climbed up into its branches. He found a comfortable spot and settled down for the night.   
He was just drifting off when a rustling below him alerted him to the presence of others. Legolas tilted his head, listening intently to the footfalls. It was the twins.  
“I am here,” he called, sure that they had come looking for him.   
Elladan and Elrohir leapt into the branches beside Legolas. They were wearing identical scowls. “What did you do to our brother?” Elrohir demanded.   
Legolas should have expected this. Estel was no doubt upset after their encounter, and his brothers would have been the ones to pick him back up again.  
He considered lying, but the twins always knew when he was lying, so Legolas settled for the truth. “Estel tried to kiss me while he was drunk. I turned him away.”  
The twins exchanged a confused look. Legolas didn’t really want to discuss the matter further. “I will speak to him about it tomorrow. Do not worry. All will be made well between Estel and me before the sun sets tomorrow. I will make sure of it.”  
“It had better be. He’s miserable without you, Legolas.” Elladan’s frown was fading, his tone turning thoughtful.   
“As am I without him. I will speak with him first thing in the morning.”  
The twins nodded. Elladan hopped down off the branch, but Elrohir stayed for a few more moments. “Fine. Legolas – be careful with our brother. If you hurt him, we may have to part your head from your shoulders.”  
Legolas chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”  
The twins ambled away in the direction of the Last Homely House. Legolas settled back down on his branch, staring up at the canopy.   
He allowed himself to fantasize once more. He saw Estel’s face clearly before him, speaking words of love and devotion. When Legolas drifted off to sleep, for once, he slept soundly.


	4. Chapter 4

Estel

Estel tossed and turned for what felt like hours. He wanted Legolas. He knew he shouldn’t wish that his friend had a nightmare, but he wanted Legolas in his arms. He needed to reassure himself that he hadn’t completely ruined their friendship with his blunder.   
It was probably best to save his apologies until morning, but the longer he lay there, the more his anxiety rose. He needed to know if he’d messed everything up too badly to recover.   
Estel got up and tiptoed across the hall to Legolas’ chambers. He knocked softly and opened the door. His heart went cold at what he saw. The room was empty and Legolas’ bed was still made.   
Surely, Legolas hadn’t left Imladris? Estel had been counting on a chance to try to explain himself. Would Legolas really deny him that?  
Perhaps Legolas thought it would be better if he left for a while, to give Estel some space. If that was the case, he had seriously misjudged just how much Estel needed him. Even if Legolas could never be what he wanted, Estel cherished every precious moment they had together.   
Estel shuffled back to his room. Maybe Legolas had simply decided to spend the night outside. He sometimes did that, though he usually invited Estel to join him when he did so. Estel had a lot of fond memories of sleeping on an uncomfortable tree branch next to Legolas, looking up at the sky through the leafy canopy.   
Apparently, Legolas didn’t want company tonight. Not that Estel blamed him.   
He went back to bed, and spent another hour or so agonizing over Legolas. Finally, thankfully, the stress of the day caught up to him and exhaustion took him.   
In his nightmare, Estel and Legolas were in that deserted corridor. Estel leaned in drunkenly and pressed his lips to Legolas’. This time, the prince didn’t pull away. He let Estel plant a sloppy kiss on his lips.  
Then he pulled back, his expression twisting in disgust. “How dare you, Estel? You would kiss me – me – a prince of Greenwood? I have graced you with my friendship, and you think to take more from me? No man could be worthy of an elf, especially not you!”  
“Legolas, please,” Estel whispered through numb lips. “I’m sorry. Let’s just forget it ever happened.”  
“Forget? I could never forget, Estel. That you thought you were worthy of me – the sheer arrogance of it – is something that cannot be forgiven. I wash my hands of you, human. You are not worth the dirt on my boots.”  
“No – wait, please, Legolas! Please!”  
Estel felt his knees buckle as Legolas walked away. He knew he should chase after his friend and try to explain, but what could he say? Legolas was right, about everything. Estel should have been happy with his friendship, but he had foolishly tried for more.   
As much as he tried, he couldn’t get up. Someone was holding him down. Estel shouted and struggled, but he couldn’t get up.  
“Calm, Estel. You are safe.”  
He opened his eyes to find himself in his bed, breathing hard and covered in sweat. There was a candle on the table, and there were hands on his shoulder, stopping him from flailing and injuring himself.  
For a wild moment, Estel thought it was Legolas, and his heart leapt with hope, but as his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw dark hair, not Legolas’ long blond locks the color of sunlight.  
“Ada.”  
Elrond’s kind face above him was filled with concern. “What is it, ion nin?”  
Estel wasn’t surprised that Elrond was here. He could always tell when one of his sons was having a nightmare. It had been many years since Estel had woken with his father sitting on the edge of his bed, pulling him from a bad dream, but the feeling of relief was no less poignant.   
“Nightmare,” Estel muttered, though Elrond already knew that.   
“Do you want to talk about it?”  
Estel shook his head. It wasn’t real, he reminded himself. Legolas didn’t truly hate him, nor would he ever say such things to Estel. That much, Estel was sure of. If Legolas was to break off their friendship, he would do it because he mistakenly thought it would be what was best for Estel.   
Elrond stroked the sweaty hair off Estel’s forehead. “I long for the days when you would tell me all of your troubles, Estel.”  
Estel sighed. “This trouble isn’t to be shared.”  
“Perhaps, with time, you will come to me with it.”  
Estel had been on the verge of doing just that many times, so he supposed it wasn’t out of the question he’d change his mind. He shrugged. “Thank you for waking me.”  
“Any time, Estel. Would you like me to stay until you fall asleep?”  
He was a man, now. He shouldn’t need his father sitting next to him to guard him from nightmares… but the comfort of Elrond’s presence was too strong a draw. Estel nodded minutely, not willing to speak the words aloud.   
Elrond put a hand on his shoulder as Estel lay back. “Tomorrow will be a trying day, Estel. Whatever happens, know that you are my son and I will always love you.”  
He spoke as if he knew of the conversation Estel needed to have with Legolas the next day. In truth, Estel wouldn’t be surprised if he did. Elrond seemed almost omniscient at times, what with his sharp intuition and his foresight.   
Estel thought to ask Elrond the outcome of his trying day, but he was asleep before he could.   
The next morning, Estel rose awake and refreshed. Elrond was gone, but his calming presence remained. Estel dressed and checked inside Legolas’ chambers. The prince still wasn’t there.  
He cautioned himself not to think the worst. In all likelihood, Legolas was still in Imladris. Even if he did want to break off their friendship, he wouldn’t leave without explaining himself to Estel and saying goodbye.  
Estel put that unhappy thought from his mind and went down to breakfast. Both of the twins were looking pale and anxious, not at all their usual selves. Estel’s heart dropped as he saw them.   
“El? What is it? Is it Legolas? He’s not hurt, is he? He’s still here, right?”  
Elladan gave him a very forced smile. “Nothing is wrong, Estel. I saw Legolas last night, and he was fine.”  
“He wasn’t in his chambers last night,” Estel pressed.  
“He chose to spend last night sleeping in a tree. You know how Legolas is.”  
That was a relief, at least. “Then where is he?”  
“Stop being so impatient, Estel.” Elrohir nudged Estel with his shoulder. “Legolas will be here soon enough.”  
It was unlike Legolas not to be the first one at breakfast; he was an early riser. Estel wanted to apologize as soon as possible, before his friend had a chance to leave. Maybe Legolas simply hadn’t wanted to leave in late at night, and was preparing to set out this very minute.   
What if he was wrong about Legolas wanting to see him before he left? How much time did he have?  
“Come on, Este, eat something.” Elladan steered him into a chair. “Ada wants to see you after breakfast.”  
Estel swayed where he stood and fell into the chair Elladan was offering him. So Legolas had decided to leave without seeing him. He left a message with Elrond, probably simply saying goodbye and that he was sorry.  
“What’s wrong with you this morning?” Elrohir started heaping Estel’s plate with food.   
“Nothing.”  
Neither of the twins believed him, but they didn’t press. All three of them seemed to be out of sorts this morning.   
Once Estel had tried and failed to get his breakfast down, the three of them got up and headed to Elrond’s study. Elrond also looked paler than usual, no doubt not looking forward to the news he had to give.  
“Estel, thank you for coming. I need to talk to you.”  
“What did he say, Ada?” Estel’s voice was little more than a whisper.   
“What did who say?”  
“Legolas.”  
“I haven’t spoken to Legolas since last night.” Elrond gave him a quizzical look. “Are you alright, Estel?”  
“Legolas hasn’t left? He didn’t give you a message for me?”  
“No, he is still here, as far as I am aware, and I haven’t gotten any messages from him.”  
Relief swept through Estel’s body. He went limp on in his chair, not having realized how tense he had been. Nothing that Elrond could tell him would upset him, as long as he still had Legolas.   
“What is it you wished to talk to me about, then, Ada?”  
“I need to tell you more about your parents.”  
That piqued Estel’s curiosity. “You told me my parents died when I was young, and that you couldn’t speak more of it.”  
“I did, and that was true at the time, but now you are of age. It’s time for you to know the truth.”  
Estel didn’t understand where Elrond was going with this, and he didn’t like the grim expression on his father’s face.   
“I’m listening.”  
“Firstly, you should know that your true name is not Estel. Your elvish name is not the one you were born with. You are Aragorn, son of Arathron.”   
“Arathron…” Estel was sure he recognized the name from his studies, but he couldn’t quite remember.   
“Arathron is a part of a long line of kings – the kings of Gondor. You are Isildur’s heir, ion nin. When you are ready, the throne of Gondor will be yours.”  
Estel remembered all too well who Isildur was. Arathron was the last of his line. His son had been killed – at least, that’s what history said.  
History was wrong.   
Estel was right here, except he wasn’t Estel. He was Aragorn.  
He was on his feet before he realized he’d moved, his chair clattering across the room. Shock, rage and hurt pounded through him. He stared at Elrond, feeling as if he’d never seen him before. “How could you keep this from me? How dare you!”  
Elrond remained infuriatingly calm. “I wanted you to have as normal a life as I could give you, Estel. The burden of a crown is too much for a child to bear. You are no longer a child, now. This is the right time to tell you, whether you realize it or not.”  
“You had no right! None of you!” Estel turned on the twins. “You knew, didn’t you?”  
“We did.” Elladan looked grim as he braced himself for Estel’s wrath.   
Estel battled back tears of betrayal. How could his family do this to him? He’d trusted them, and they’d lied to him for his entire life. He’d always know he was adopted – that much couldn’t be hidden from him, given that he was human and his family were elves. If he had been an elf, would they even have bothered to tell him that Elrond wasn’t his birth father?  
Estel stared at his father and brothers, suddenly feeling like he didn’t know them at all. How could he ever believe them again?  
“I trusted you,” he snarled. “I guess that just goes to show what a fool I am.”  
He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Estel’s feet took him automatically to Legolas’ room. Legolas would have words of comfort for him. It felt like everything had been turned on its head and nothing made sense anymore.   
The only thing still clear to him was his feelings for Legolas. Estel wanted his best friend. It didn’t matter right now that Legolas couldn’t be his lover. He just wanted the comfort of the prince’s presence.   
Estel – no, Aragorn, reminded himself – had forgotten that Legolas wasn’t in his chambers and burst inside.   
This time, Legolas was there. He looked up in surprise. “Estel, there you are. I’ve been – Estel, what’s wrong?”  
“I spoke with Ada.” Estel’s words poured out of his mouth so quickly he wasn’t sure he was even making sense. “He told me that I’m Isildur’s heir, Legolas, that I’m supposed to be king of Gondor! How can I be a king, mellon nin? How could he not have told me before?”  
Legolas sighed heavily. “I didn’t know Elrond was telling you today. I wish he’d told me, but he was probably worried that I’d warn you.”  
His words filtered slowly through Estel’s mind. “You… you knew?” He felt like he was looking at Legolas from the end of a long tunnel, and his voice seemed disembodied.  
“I knew, Estel. I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t my right. It was always your father’s decision when to tell you, and he swore me to secrecy before he revealed your true identity.”  
Estel couldn’t take it in. Not only his father and brothers, but Legolas had also betrayed him? It was impossible. The four people he trusted most in the world, and they had all made his entire life a lie.   
He staggered from the room. “Estel –”  
“THAT’S NOT MY NAME!”  
Estel broke into a run. Aragorn, not Estel, he reminded himself. He would live the lie his family had created no longer. He was Aragorn, not Estel.   
He couldn’t think about his future now, about how it must involve ruling an entire kingdom. What a disaster. What did he know of ruling? He wanted to tell Elrond he had the wrong person, but Elrond would never make a mistake like that.   
No, as much as he wanted to believe otherwise, Estel was sure that Elrond didn’t have his heritage mixed up. The only mistake he’d made was lying to Estel about it for years. That was mistake enough.   
He couldn’t even begin to process that, but for now, he would settle for shedding the name they had given him. Hope – another lie. He had no hope for Gondor if he was supposed to be its king.   
Aragorn bolted the door to his chambers.   
“Estel, please. I know you are angry, and you have every right to be, but let’s talk about this. Let me in, mellon nin, saes.”  
Aragorn ignored Legolas’ pleas, even though the distressed sound of the prince’s voice had him on the verge of opening the door. Hurt and anger stopped him, though. He needed to be alone, and his family and Legolas would never leave him alone as long as he was in Imladris.   
He was a man, now. He was of age. That meant he was allowed to roam as he pleased. Ada had no doubt not envisioned him wanting to go on an excursion outside Imladris so soon after his birthday, but that wasn’t Aragorn’s problem.   
He started shoving stuff into his bag, not really paying attention to what he packed. Aragorn forced himself to stop and take a breath, ignoring Legolas’ continued entreaties from beyond the door.   
At least the prince had the respect not to force his way in, as Aragorn knew he could if he really wanted to.   
Aragorn stopped shoveling stuff pell-mell into his bag and paused to think. First, he made sure he had his weapons, then his healing supplies. His heart twisted as he remembered receiving his birthday gifts yesterday. He’d been so happy, then. How could things have changed so much so quickly?  
Aragorn packed some soap, clothes, rope, and a few other essential travel items. He didn’t pack any food, as that would require a trip to the kitchens, and he didn’t want to risk running into the twins or Elrond. Not to mention that Legolas was hanging on his door handle even now, and would no doubt pounce on him the moment he stepped foot outside.  
He could get food easily enough for himself. He was a proficient hunter and he knew which herbs, plants and roots were good for eating.   
Aragorn shouldered his pack and slipped quietly out of the window. Legolas might be able to hear him, but there was nothing Aragorn could do about that. Hopefully Legolas wouldn’t hear anything over the sound of his own pleas to be let in.   
He didn’t look left or right as he walked through the gardens at a quick pace, heading for the forest. He had no idea where he was going yet, only that he had to get away from here.   
Aragorn had been on hunting trips with his brothers and Legolas before. Maybe that’s what he’d do – a nice long hunt. That should give him enough time to clear his head and decide what he wanted to do.   
No one tried to stop him. Aragorn reached the shade of the trees and kept going. As he walked, he thought about his journey, simply because he didn’t want to think about his family’s betrayal.   
There was a herd of deer that often grazed on the fields a few days north of here. They would make good hunting. Aragorn could bring his catch back home with him; the kitchens were always grateful for some extra meat.  
Home. He still thought of Imladris as his home, but according to Elrond, Gondor was his true home. Aragorn had never even been to Gondor. His heart was still here in Imladris, despite his knowledge to the contrary.   
Aragorn hadn’t forgotten about the conversation he needed to have with Legolas. He still needed to apologize for the kiss and try to salvage their friendship, but he couldn’t look at Legolas right now. Legolas’ betrayal hurt more than Elrond and the twins’. Of all people, he had thought Legolas would never lie to him.  
He was sure his anger would fade eventually, and he could only hope that when he returned, Legolas would give him a chance to explain his previous behavior. He had to put his trust in the hope that their friendship wouldn’t be shaken by a fight and a drunken mistake.   
He was a long way from that, though. Aragorn didn’t know what would happen or where to go after his hunt, and he wasn’t ready to face those questions yet. He needed to let his anger cool before he was ready to talk to his family and Legolas.   
So for now, he focused on putting as much distance between himself and Imladris as he could, hoping that time and space would bring him some clarity.


	5. Chapter 5

Legolas

Legolas banged on Estel’s door for what must have been at least an hour. Eventually, he gave up. It was taking all of his willpower not to bash the door down, or at least go around to the window to check on him, but Estel deserved his privacy. As long as Legolas knew he wasn’t in any true danger, he would respect Estel’s wish to be left alone.   
Legolas threw himself onto his bed, thoroughly miserable. He knew he could never have broken his word to Elrond. Not only was keeping his word of the utmost importance to Legolas, but Elrond had been right. The burden of his future would have been too much for Estel to bear as a child.  
Being a king wasn’t like it was described in the epic tales. Legolas knew that first hand from watching his father. It was a horrible job, being responsible for so many people, having to make hard decisions that were only going to make you hated. He certainly wasn’t looking forward to doing it.   
No, Legolas was glad that Estel had had a happy childhood without this hanging over him. That didn’t make Estel’s anger any easier to bear. Legolas would do whatever it took to make it up to his friend. All plans of a romantic gesture were gone, now. His arch of flowers would whither and die while Legolas lived in hope that he would even manage to win back Estel’s friendship, let alone try for more.  
Legolas snatched his bow and left his chambers. Some shooting would help to calm him. He always found that practicing with Estel when he was distressed brought him some clarity. Estel wasn’t here, so he would just have to practice alone.   
He spent the afternoon on the shooting range, and left frustrated. Legolas was still as upset and confused as before. How much space should he give Estel before insisting the human talk to him? Estel was hurting and needed a friend right now.   
Nothing made sense without Estel, and Legolas couldn’t figure out the right thing to do. If only he could talk it over with the human, but of course, that wasn’t an option right now.   
He had thought that the range would clear his head, but without Estel poking fun at his perfect shots, the practice felt sad and empty.   
Legolas went back to Estel’s chambers, feeling morose. He knocked on the door without much hope of an answer. As he’d expected, Estel was silent. Maybe he wasn’t even here anymore. He could have gone for a walk to clear his head. Legolas imagined Estel’s mind was in freefall at the moment. Everything he knew had changed.  
It made Legolas want to hold him so badly. He wished he could kiss Estel’s troubles away, but now wasn’t the time to try to romance him, not when he so desperately needed comfort.   
Legolas was a patient elf, but even his patience had its limits. “Let me in, mellon nin,” he said firmly, resting his shoulder against the door. “I mean it.”  
Nothing. Well, Legolas wasn’t giving up this time. He went outside and came around to Estel’s window. It was open, and he hopped easily inside.   
The room was empty.   
Not only was it empty of Estel, but it was empty of his most valuable possessions – his weapons, his healing supplies and his most hardy traveling clothes.  
Legolas’ heart sank. So Estel had gone to clear his head, but he had decided to do so away from Imladris.   
It wasn’t a question that Legolas would follow him. Estel was upset and would hardly be on his best fighting form at the moment. Legolas would tail him at a distance and be ready to intervene if it looked like Estel might be in danger.   
Legolas returned to his chambers and was already half way through packing what he would need to travel when he realized that he couldn’t go alone. The twins would kill him if he went looking for Estel without them, and Elrond would need to be informed.   
Legolas abandoned his packing for now and went to find the twins. They weren’t difficult to find. Apparently, they had been scouring the Last Homely House for Estel for hours.   
“Legolas, there you are! Help us look, will you? Estel’s not in his room. He must be hiding somewhere, and we’re worried about him.” Elladan stuck his head into a broom closet, giving it a quick look before closing the door again.   
“Estel isn’t here. Didn’t you see his room?”  
“We looked, he’s not there,” Elrohir said distractedly.   
“Clearly you didn’t look very well. All of his stuff is gone. He’s left Imladris.”  
The twins swore in unison.  
“Hurry up and get packed. I want to leave as soon as possible. He’s already got a head start on us.” Legolas was already heading back to his chambers, the twins on his heels.   
“I’ll go tell Ada.” Elladan peeled off and disappeared in the direction of Elrond’s office. Elrohir kept at Legolas’ side; the twins’ chambers were right next to Estel’s.   
Legolas finished his packing quickly and waited for Elladan and Elrohir to do the same.   
The three of them left just as the sun was starting to set. They still had a good few hours of travel, if the sky remained clear enough for the moon to light their way.   
None of them spoke much, focusing on finding Estel’s trail. When Legolas finally did, he let out a shout of triumph.   
“El, look at this! Estel didn’t even take a horse. We’ll catch up with him easily.”  
They couldn’t take horses either, as staying on Estel’s trail meant staying close to the ground, but elves were faster on foot than humans. Legolas’ hopes rose. If they travelled late and woke up early, they might catch up to Estel by sundown tomorrow.   
The moon cooperated, and they managed to make good progress for three hours after sundown. They didn’t bother hunting for food, each having a meal of lembas bread. The three of them lay down close together for warmth, as it was a chilly night, and none of them wanted to take the time to light a fire.   
Legolas sighed as he thought of Estel, alone and hurting. He hoped the human wouldn’t be too mad that they had followed him. Legolas planned to follow at a distance, but such a thing was difficult to do without being seen, so the chances of Estel being unaware were quite slim.   
“Why are you here, Legolas?”  
Legolas stared at Elrohir in disbelief. “How can you ask that? Estel is my closest friend, and he is in pain. Of course, I am here.”  
Elrohir didn’t relent. “I know all of that, but there’s more, and I would have you admit it.”  
Legolas turned to Elladan, but he found no help there. “Elrohir is right, Legolas. What are your intentions toward our brother?”  
They knew. Panic seized him, but Legolas worked to calm himself. The twins were like brothers to him. He could confide in them.   
“I love Estel.”  
The twins just watched him.   
“I am in love with Estel.”  
Neither of them said anything.   
“I was going to tell him the night he came of age, but circumstances… it didn’t turn out like that. I would have told him this morning, but he was in conference with Elrond and didn’t feel much like talking afterward.”  
Both twins sighed heavily. Elladan fixed Legolas with a serious gaze. “Thank you for confiding in us, mellon nin. We suspected you were going to tell Estel soon That was the only thing we could think of that would make you as anxious as you were. I’m glad you never got the chance. I would like to ask that you do not tell Estel of your feelings.”  
“What? I have to tell him. I’ve been waiting years for this.”  
“It would only cause him heartache, Legolas.” Elrohir also looked uncharacteristically serious. “What point is there in saying it when it won’t change anything?”  
Legolas lifted his chin. “You don’t know that. Estel might love me back. Then, it would change everything.”  
The twins stared at him in disbelief.  
“Legolas… you know that nothing can ever come of you and Estel. Tell me you know that.”  
“He might love me too, Elladan. You don’t know that nothing can ever come of us. Unless he has told you something?” Legolas braced himself for a broken heart. If Estel had told in the twins that he saw Legolas as nothing more than a friend and brother, all of his dreams were ended.   
Elrohir snorted. “You really are oblivious, Legolas. Estel has been in love with you since he was old enough to know what love is.”  
A bubble of pure joy expanded in Legolas’ chest. “Really? Estel is in love with me?” Why weren’t the twins looking as overjoyed as he felt? This was the best moment of Legolas’ life, and he wanted to share it with his friends.   
“Legolas, you can never be with him.”  
Legolas just looked blankly at Elladan. “What?”  
“You’re an elf. He’s a human. It could never work between you. That the two of you are in love is at tragedy, as it will only lead to pain when you can never have that kind of relationship. That’s why we ask that you don’t tell Estel. It will be easier for him not knowing.”  
“No, no, you’re wrong, Elladan. If he loves me back, we can work the rest out. If there’s even a chance for Estel and me, I’m going to take it.”  
Elrohir sat up in his bedroll. “You’ll die,” he said flatly. “You do know that, don’t you?”  
Legolas sobered. Of course, that’s what the twins were worried about. He’d momentarily forgotten, in his joy at knowing that Estel returned his feelings.   
“I’ll die when he does anyway. It doesn’t matter whether we actually pursue a relationship. I’m already in love with him.”  
“Then you need some time and space away from Estel. You need to protect yourself, mellon nin. You can’t tie your life to the life of a mortal. When Estel dies, you will fade from grief, in a mere handful of years. You won’t even be able to be with him after death. It is best to start distancing yourself now.”  
“You think time or space would make me love Estel less? You’re wrong, Elrohir. It will make no difference, and even if it would, I would not trade my time with Estel for anything. Even if he could never love me the way I love him, I would do anything just to remain his friend.”  
Elladan also sat up. “That’s just crazy talk, Legolas. Elves aren’t meant to live a mere human lifetime. You need to guard your heart. Find someone else. Be friends with Estel, but you can be nothing more. You’ll only break his heart by revealing your feelings.”  
Legolas leapt to his feet. “You know nothing! If he does indeed love me, then he is suffering as I am, remaining so close yet so far. I will tell him, and I will be with him in every way. We’ll be happy together, and you can’t stop us. I would rather share one lifetime with him than spend all the ages alone. Yes, I will die when Estel does, but I will have lived a life full of joy rather than emptiness. That is a fair trade in my book.”  
“You can live a life full of joy with another elf –”  
“I DON’T WANT ANOTHER ELF, I WANT ESTEL!”  
Elladan held out a placating hand. “Please, Legolas, just sit down. Let’s talk about this.”  
“There is nothing more to talk about. You will not accept Estel and me. You’ve made that very clear. I had hoped for the support of two of my closest friends, but if I cannot have it, I will go on without it.”  
“If you will not leave this dangerous path for your own sake, you should at least do it for Estel’s.”  
That got Legolas’ attention. He sank down onto his bedroll, starting at Elladan. “What do you mean?”  
“Think about it from his perspective, mellon nin. What will it be like for him to grow old beside you while you remain young and beautiful?”  
“I don’t care what Estel looks –”  
“We know you don’t,” Elrohir interrupted. “We’re not asking you to think about yourself. Think of Estel. He needs someone he can grow old with, someone he can have children with. You’re just not right for him. He loves you, but he’ll ultimately only break his own heart by being with you. It might be good now, but what happens when he starts wanting a family? What happens when he starts to near death and he realizes he’ll never see you again after he departs this world?”  
“A human woman could give him all of that,” Elladan continued, picking up where Elrohir left off. “For his own sake, mellon nin, I beg you to reconsider. He is to be a king. What will his people think when he shuns his own kind to marry an elf? How will he make the correct political alliances with the world of men when his heart belongs to another? His marriage will be needed to help solidify his rule.”  
The twins’ arguments pierced Legolas like arrows to his heart.   
They were right. Of course, they were right. Legolas had been too blinded by love to see it. He could never tell Estel how he felt, not when it would only make things worse for both of them. Knowing they shared their love, but not being able to act on it would be agony.  
And Legolas saw that he couldn’t act on it. He would be sabotaging Estel’s future by tying the man to his side. A few tears escape Legolas’ eyes.   
The twins watched him sympathetically. “I am sorry, mellon nin,” Elrohir said at length. “I wish it could be different.”  
“It’s not your fault,” Legolas said thickly. “You merely opened my eyes. I should not have needed this wake up call. Thank you for stopping me from doing something that will harm Estel.”  
Elladan put a hand on his shoulder. “You can still find love, Legolas. It may take several lifetimes, but you will get over Estel. You can fall in love again.”  
Legolas wouldn’t live several lifetimes. He would be doomed to watch Estel marry and have children with someone else. He would be the best man at Estel’s wedding, and he would smile at his friend, hiding the pain in his heart.   
Then, when Estel died, Legolas would follow. The twins might think that he could get over his love for the human, but Legolas knew he never would. He was totally lost on Estel, and nothing in the world could change that.   
He didn’t bother trying to convince them of this, though. That would only lead them to encourage him to take a break from Estel’s friendship altogether, and Legolas would never do that. Even if such action had a chance of working to protect him after Estel’s death, Legolas only had a limited number of years with Estel. He would choose death over missing even a single one of them. Their time together was beyond precious, and Legolas guarded it jealously.   
“I think I would like to be alone for now.”  
“Of course, Legolas. Call out if you need us.”  
Elrohir nodded his agreement with his brother.   
Legolas picked up his bedroll and walked through the forest until he found a tree with wide enough branches to suit him. He climbed into its branches, fighting back tears. For so long, he had hoped against hope that Estel would say he loved him back when he made his confession, and that they could be together.  
Now, that dream was in ashes. Estel loved him back – it was everything he’d ever hoped for – but they could never be together, for Estel’s own good.   
The trees branches whispered into the night, trying to soothe him with their gentle song. Legolas clutched the branch, trying to soak in the comfort, but there was no relief for this kind of wound. Time, perhaps, would help it sting a little less, but right now, the pain was all consuming.  
Legolas wept bitterly until the sun came up.


	6. Chapter 6

Aragorn

Aragorn knew that the twins and Legolas were following him. They thought they were being stealthy, but the twins had trained Aragorn from a young age in how to tell if he was being tracked.   
It irked him to no end that they thought he couldn’t take care of himself. He was an adult! He should be able to go on a hunting trip without his own personal guard detail.  
Since he had no interest in talking to the twins or Legolas yet, Aragorn simply ignored them, pretending that he didn’t notice them trailing behind him as he travelled.   
He reached the spot with the deer and spent a good hour watching before he saw his opportunity. Aragorn let loose an arrow, and watched as it arced gracefully into the deer’s neck. Smiling in triumph, Aragorn hurried over to his kill as the rest of the herd scattered.   
He was so intent on getting to the deer before it could stagger too far in its death throes, that he wasn’t watching where he put his feet.  
Aragorn cried out as his foot sank deep into a hole. He fell forward, managing to catch himself with his arms before his face hit the ground. He groaned as he tried to pull himself free, but his leg was stuck fast.   
“Estel! Are you alright?” Legolas was suddenly there, taking Aragorn’s arms and pulling him loose. The elf walked around him in a circle, checking for injuries. “Are you hurt?”  
“I’m fine, mellon nin.” Aragorn sighed. it was difficult to be angry with Legolas when the prince was looking so frantic with worry for his wellbeing.  
The twins weren’t far behind, and they double and triple checked Aragorn for injuries. Once all three elves were satisfied that he was uninjured, they wordlessly helped him gut and skin his kill.  
Aragorn didn’t really know what to say to them. He was still furious with them for lying to him, but even after only a few days apart, he missed his brothers. They seldom left Imladris without him, and he was used to their near constant presence, as infuriating as it was at times.   
And Legolas. Aragorn missed Legolas like he would miss breathing. For the past decade, the two of them had scarcely been parted. When Legolas was needed Greenwood, Aragorn would accompany him, escorted by the twins. When Aragorn got homesick, Legolas would come with him to Imladris.   
Waking up and knowing that he wouldn’t see his friend’s fair face was like a knife in his gut.   
Aragorn tried to hold onto his anger, but it was fading in light of how glad he was to see the elves.   
He threw his arms around Legolas. “I’ve missed you, mellon nin.”  
“As I have missed you, my stubborn human.” Legolas pulled back, appraising him anxiously. “Are we… are things well between us?”  
“I’m still angry with you, if that’s what you mean. You should have told me. I’ll need some time to get over it.”  
Legolas’ face fell. “Of course, Estel. We only approached because we feared you were hurt. We will give you your space.”  
“No, that’s not what I mean. Stay. I can process better with you here. I have a lot of questions.”  
“Anything you need, Estel.”  
“Anything,” Elladan agreed, while Elrohir nodded.  
“Right now, I think I need a swim in the lake.” Aragorn looked down at himself. He was covered in blood and deer guts, and he knew there was a lake a short distance from here.  
Elrohir clapped him on the shoulder. “Come, then. Let’s get clean.”  
Aragorn couldn’t help but watch Legolas as he got undressed. He had the finest ass Aragorn had ever seen, and he longed to explore it. He got undressed quickly and dove into the water to hide his rising cock.   
Legolas floated on his back, giving Aragorn an impish look. “Can’t catch me, slow human!”   
Right, game on, Aragorn thought gleefully.   
He lost track of time as he chased Legolas around the lake, eventually managing to catch him. Then the two of them teamed up against the twins, going in circles trying to dunk each other under the water.   
Aragorn could barely breathe for laughter. He still didn’t like that he’d been kept in the dark, but he had been wrong to run away from the very people who could bring him solace, even though they were also the ones who had caused his turmoil.   
When they finally exhausted themselves, the four of them returned to the bank. The deer had finished draining of blood and was ready to cook. Elrohir was the best cook, so he took care of it while Aragorn lounged on his bedroll with his head in Legolas’ lap.   
“Tell me about Gondor. I know it’s ruled by a steward. Why does it even need a king?”  
Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a look. “The time will come, Estel, when the realms of men need to be united. Only a true king can do that.”  
“But I’m not a true king! Me ruling would be a disaster!”  
“You will learn, Estel.” Legolas stroked his hair gently. “Being a king doesn’t come naturally for anyone. When we next go to Greenwood, you can work with me under my father. He has been training me for rule since I was old enough to understand the lessons. We will both help you.”  
That was a good idea. Maybe if Legolas helped him, he wouldn’t be total useless at this after all.  
“Thank you. That would make me feel better about the whole situation. I don’t want to take rule from the steward and mess everything up for the whole land.”  
“There’s no rush,” Elrohir reminded him. “You’re barely of age. You won’t take the throne for decades yet. You’ve got a lot to do before then.”  
“Like what?”  
“Well, as Legolas says, you need to learn about being a king. That, he and Thranduil can help you with. You also need to get to know the rangers of the north. Elladan and I work with them regularly, and we will pave the way for them to accept you as their leader.”  
“You’ll need to go to Gondor, of course.” Legolas kept stroking Aragorn’s hair in a way that left Aragorn sleepy and content. “You’ll probably want to serve there for a time, though under a different name, of course.”  
They made it sound so simple. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Even he could hear the hurt in his own voice.   
“Think of how scared you are of this now, Estel, and imagine living with that your whole childhood. That’s a burden no child should have to bear. Believe me, you were better off growing up without it.”  
If it was anyone else, Aragorn could dismiss them, but it was Legolas. Legolas had grown up with that weight on his shoulders. Who would know better than him what it would be like?  
“I still would have wanted to know.”  
“Maybe Ada was wrong to keep it from you, but he did what he did out of love, Estel. We all did.” Elladan was utterly sincere. Aragorn knew he was telling the truth, but it still hurt.  
“Why do you keep calling me that – Estel?” He couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice.   
“You will always be Estel to us,” Legolas said gently. “Unless you would prefer Aragorn?”  
“No. I think I will always be Estel to me, too.”  
“Your name doesn’t matter, Estel. It’s who you are that matters, and you are enough. You will be a great king. You may have a long way to go, but we will all help you get there.”   
“Thanks, El.”   
Elrohir smiled at him and nudged Aragorn’s foot with his. “You don’t need to worry about getting a big head. We’ll keep you humble.”  
“When I’m king, I’m going to have you both put in the stocks,” Aragorn muttered.  
Both twins burst out laughing at the thought.   
“It may take some time before I fully trust you again,” Aragorn admitted.  
“We have time, Estel. Elves are patient beings, after all.” A shadow passed across Legolas’ face at the mention of time, but it was gone so quickly that a moment later, Aragorn wasn’t even sure if it had really been there.   
Aragorn sighed and relaxed into Legolas’ lap. The worst was over. His initial rage and hurt were still there, but dimmed. He had started mending things with Legolas and his brothers. When he got back, he would talk to Elrond, who would no doubt be understanding of his sudden departure from Imladris.   
There was just one thing left unsaid between them. Aragorn still needed to apologize to Legolas and ensure that their friendship remained intact after his blunder at the party.   
The fact that Legolas was here at all reassured him that the prince still wished to remain friends, but Aragorn needed to be sure. He didn’t want to talk in front of the twins, though. His attempt to kiss Legolas had been embarrassing enough when it was just the two of them. The last thing he needed was his brothers teasing him about it until the day he died.   
After their evening meal, Aragorn spoked quietly to Legolas. “Can I speak with you alone?”  
Legolas stiffened slightly, but nodded. “Of course.”  
The two of them walked in silence for a long way, until they were out of earshot of the twins. Legolas waited patiently while Aragorn steeled himself.  
“Look, I’m really sorry about the night of my party. I was drunk, and I never should have tried to kiss. I never would have, if it hadn’t been for the wine. You’re like a brother to me, Legolas.”   
The lie burned coming out of his throat, but Aragorn told himself it was a necessary evil. He hated lying to Legolas, but if the alternative was losing the prince’s friendship, then lie he would. Legolas was as close to him as a brother, but the thoughts Aragorn had about the elf’s lithe body were far from brotherly.  
To his relief, Legolas didn’t look angry. If anything, he looked a little sad, but then he smiled, and Aragorn was sure he’d imagined it. “Do not worry over it, Estel. Like you said, you were drunk. I would never take your actions seriously until you were once more in your right mind.”  
It felt like a great weight had been lifted off his chest. Aragorn pulled Legolas into a hug, squeezing tightly. “Thank you. I worried it would cause a rift between us.”  
“Never, Estel.”  
Aragorn wanted to cling onto Legolas and never let go, but he forced himself to step back. “We should return, before the twins decide our absence is a good time to lure snakes into our bedrolls.”  
Legolas rolled his eyes. “I could definitely live my whole lifetime and not miss the sensation of waking up with a snake in my pants.”  
The two of them returned to camp arm in arm. Despite the weight of a crown sometime in his future hanging over his head, Aragorn felt that that right now, all was right with the world.   
The next day, the four companions kept travelling, with no set direction in mind. Aragorn had a vague notion of hunting some more, if game was to present itself. Mostly, he was biding his time before he felt like returning to Imladris.  
What had started off as a trip to clear his head had turned into an adventure. Aragorn had had very little luck clearing his head until the twins and Legolas turned up. Everything had still been all confused and twisted up in his mind, but now that Legolas was here, the world seemed to make sense again.   
It sometimes scared Aragorn just how much he needed the prince, but it was some consolation that he was fairly certain Legolas needed him just the same. He certainly threw a fit whenever Thranduil suggested Legolas stay at Greenwood rather than accompany Estel back to Imladris, and standing up to Thranduil was a feat that took quite a bit of determination.   
Now that he was mostly resigned to what Elrond had told him, and working toward forgiving those who had lied to him, Aragorn found that he didn’t want to return to Imladris for an entirely different reason.   
Spending time out in the wilderness with the twins and Legolas was the content of a lot of his most cherished memories. Something about the constraints of society being stripped away, leaving pure survival and brotherhood, was an intoxicating feeling. It brought them all closer together.   
In the past, the twins or Legolas had always led the expedition. Now, they allowed Aragorn to decide their course, the hunting choices, their campsites, and a number of other things that he’d never had a say in before.   
The twins laughed themselves silly when Aragorn accidentally navigated them into a bog. They were all for leaving him waist deep in the quagmire for a few hours to ‘teach him an important lesson in directions’, but thankfully, Legolas rescued him.   
It was inevitable that one of them got injured, of course. Elrond often despaired that Aragorn and Legolas were the most accident prone people he’d come across in his long life. It didn’t help that the twins were always pulling some prank that backfired on them as often as it worked correctly.   
Between the four of them, Elrond’s skills as a healer were kept sharp.   
They were hunting a wild boar, and finally found it. Aragorn and Legolas shot at it while the twins advanced on it with spears. The boar was bigger than tougher than any of them had estimated, and it charged right through the twins, going for Legolas.   
Aragorn pushed Legolas out of the way, but didn’t have time to get himself clear. The boar’s tusk dug deeply into his arm, tearing right through the flesh.   
He wasn’t entirely sure of what happened after that. He must be going into shock, because the world was a collection of still images, rather than a moving picture. Legolas was leaning over him, saying something, but Estel couldn’t hear the words.   
The twins were piercing the boar with spears and leaving its body where it lay, rushing to Aragorn’s side. Legolas and Elladan held him down while Elrohir stitched the wound.   
When he next came fully aware, Aragorn was lying in his bedroll, his head once more resting in Legolas’ lap. It was a position he favored greatly, and it was almost worth getting speared by a boar to find himself here.   
“What happened?” Aragorn groaned. His head and arm throbbed.   
“Here, take this,” Elladan said immediately, shoving some herbs in Aragorn’s face. Aragorn recognized them as herbs taken for pain, and swallowed them eagerly. With Legolas’ help, he sat up. Legolas looked extremely put out.  
“What happened, Estel, is that you used your weak and highly breakable human body to shield my hardy, fast-healing elven body.”  
Ah. Legolas always got grumpy when Aragorn put himself in danger, especially when it was to protect Legolas.   
“I wasn’t about to let you get stabbed, mellon nin.”  
“So you let yourself get stabbed instead!”  
“Settle down, you two.” Elrohir shook his head. “Estel, we’re going to give you some herbs you help you sleep. And Legolas, you’re not to berate him until he’s a bit more rested.”  
Legolas continued to grumble under his breath, which Aragorn found adorable. In truth, he found everything about the wood elf adorable. He didn’t want to take sleeping herbs, but he didn’t want to argue with the twins either, so he pretended to swallow them while really hiding them in his bedroll.   
Maybe he’d put them in Elrohir’s morning tea. It had been too long since he’d pranked the twins. Legolas would be in on it, of course.   
Aragorn feigned sleep, listening to the comforting sound of Legolas’ and his brothers’ voices as they talked about the best way to roast wild boar. His arm throbbed, but he knew it would pass, and it was worth it. He’d leap in front of anything to stop Legolas from being hurt, and he would never regret it for a moment.


	7. Chapter 7

Aragorn

The twins ‘woke’ Aragorn for supper, which he ate with his left hand. He wanted to stay up and talk to his brothers and Legolas, but Elladan put his foot down, insisting that Aragorn rest and giving him more herbs.   
Aragorn slipped these into his pack, already thinking of the best way to hide them in Elrohir’s tea. He lay with his eyes closed, waiting for sleep to take him naturally, as he knew it would. The pain wasn’t bad enough to stop him from sleeping. He didn’t need the herbs. That was just the twins being overprotective, as usual.   
He was close to drifting off when something in the tenor of Legolas’ voice had Aragorn jolting to alertness. Legolas sounded distressed. It was Aragorn’s first instinct to get up and comfort him, but when he heard his own name, he stilled, listening, keeping his eyes closed.   
“It’s just so difficult keeping it from Estel.”  
“I know.” Elladan’s voice was sympathetic, and Aragorn could imagine him putting an arm around Legolas’ shoulders. “It’s for the best, though – for both of you.”  
“It’ll get easier with time,” Elrohir added.  
“I guess I’m still coming around to the fact that I can never tell him. You’re right, of course. It’s better that he doesn’t know. But I spent years thinking that I’d tell him that I’m in love with him when he came of age, and now, I don’t ever get to do it. How can I possibly keep the secret from him for the rest of his life? How will I stand looking into his face every day for the rest of his life knowing I’m lying to him?”  
Aragorn stiffened in his bedroll. Was he really hearing what he thought he was hearing? Legolas was in love with him?  
He wanted to leap out of his bedroll and pull the elf into his arms, but he resisted. He knew he shouldn’t really be listening in on what was obviously a private conversation, but no force in Middle Earth would convince him to stop now.   
He felt so full of joy that he was surprised he didn’t float right off the ground. Legolas loved him. Aragorn couldn’t understand why an elf like Legolas would give his heart to him, but he wasn’t going to question it. Legolas loved him, and that was all that mattered.   
“You need to keep in mind why you’re doing it. Remember that by not telling him, you’re giving Estel a chance at a normal life with a human woman. The chance at an alliance and a family, at growing old with someone. Keep that foremost in your mind, and it will get easier, I promise.”  
Aragorn could have strangled Elrohir. Who was he to counsel Legolas to keep his love secret? How could he decide what was right for Aragorn without even giving him the chance to say what he wanted for his own life?  
“I know. I suppose I’ll just have to live with it. I would never do anything to harm Estel, no matter how it wounds my heart to keep silent.”  
Aragorn’s heart broke for Legolas. He was sacrificing his happiness for Aragorn’s, just to give him the life the twins insisted he needed. Well, he had news for Legolas. Aragorn wanted him. He didn’t care about alliances or getting old or any of that other nonsense. If they wanted children someday, they could adopt. It was hardly the end of the world.   
He battled with himself, wanting to reveal to Legolas right away that he had heard. He managed to restrain himself. Aragorn wanted this conversation to be in private, away from the twins, who would no doubt discourage him and Legolas from being together.   
Aragorn understood their concerns, but it wasn’t their choice to make. It was only his and Legolas’.   
He knew he would never be able to sleep now, but he continued feigning.   
“I suppose it’ll be best if I stop having nightmares,” Legolas said glumly.  
“You have nightmares?” Elladan was using his concerned healer tone, one he’d learned from Elrond.  
“No, but Estel doesn’t know that. I tell him I have nightmares, and he welcomes me into his bed to comfort me. I know it’s wrong to lie to him like that, but I can’t think of any other reason to be close to him. I need him near. Nothing makes sense without him.”  
Aragorn could have laughed, if he wasn’t worried about giving himself away. He’d have to tease Legolas about this later.  
“That would probably be best,” Elrohir said sadly. “I’m sorry, Legolas. I wish things could be different for the two of you.”  
Things would be different, starting tomorrow. Aragorn would see to it.   
The twins and Legolas moved to speak of other things, leaving Aragorn to his buzzing thoughts.   
He managed to drift off a little before dawn, and was shaken awake what seemed moments later by Elrohir. Aragorn did his best not to scowl at his brother. He was still annoyed at the twins for trying to convince Legolas to keep his love a secret.   
“How are you feeling?”  
It took a moment for Aragorn to remember his wound. His heart was so light that he barely noticed the pain. “I’m fine.”  
He sat through Elrohir changing the dressing of his wound, but he would wait no longer.   
“Legolas, may I speak with you in private?”  
“Of course, Estel.”  
They walked out of earshot of the twins. Aragorn realized that his hands were shaking, and quickly put them in his pockets.   
He turned to Legolas, suddenly nervous. Would Legolas be angry that Aragorn had listened in on a private conversation? Even worse, would he insist that they could never be together, despite both loving each other? What if Aragorn couldn’t dissuade him from the twins’ arguments?  
“Estel?”  
Legolas was looking expectantly at him. He had to say something. “I heard you last night,” Aragorn blurted out.  
Legolas stiffened slightly, but kept his expression carefully neutral. “You heard me?”  
“Talking to Elladan and Elrohir. I heard you tell them you love me.”  
Legolas was as stiff as a board now. “Estel –”  
“Legolas, it’s ok.” Aragorn took the prince’s hands in his. “I love you too. I never imagined you would love me back, but now that I know you do, we can be together.”  
Legolas sighed deeply. “I’m sorry you have to hear that, Estel. It will only make things harder on both of us. We can’t be together.”  
“The twins are wrong, Legolas! I don’t care about alliances or having someone I can grow old with. I want you.”  
“You may not care about that stuff right now, but you are young, Estel. What you want in ten, twenty, fifty years may be completely different.”  
“So if it’s a problem, we deal with it when it happens. You can’t just give up on us because we might have problems in the future. Right now, is there a single thing stopping us from being together?”  
“Our fathers would never accept it.”  
“Morgoth take them. It’s our lives. If our families can’t accept us, that’s their problem.”  
Aragorn could read Legolas well, and he could tell his arguments were working. There was a glimmer of hope in the prince’s eyes, a hope that Aragorn intended to bring to full fruition.   
“What about children?”  
“If we decide we want children, then we can adopt.”  
“You wouldn’t be happier with a woman, who could have your own children?”  
“An adopted child would be just as much mine as one that came from my seed. Would you prefer a woman who could bear your children?”  
“No.”  
“Then why do you think I would?”  
“I… I don’t know, Estel. I don’t want to hurt you.”  
“Legolas, do you think I’d lie to you about this?”  
“Never.”  
“Then listen to me now. Being near you without being able to have you as I truly want is what’s hurting me. We’re in love. It would be insane not to give us a shot. If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work, but we have to try. I know there will be difficulties, but together, we will face them. Unless – are you worried about fading after my death? I wouldn’t want to go ahead with this if it’ll mean you die when I do.”  
“That is not an issue, Estel. I will fade after your death regardless of whether we move forward in this.”  
That was not what Aragorn had been hoping to hear. “Legolas, when I die, you need to find the strength to go on. Saes, for me.”  
“I cannot, Estel. You know that it is not a choice for elves.”  
Aragorn wasn’t done discussing this, as he fully intended for Legolas to live a long life, but he knew Legolas wouldn’t lie to him about this. If Legolas said he would fade regardless of whether he pursued a relationship with Aragorn, then it wasn’t a factor here.  
Aragorn knew what he wanted, and now was the time to try and get it.   
He squeezed Legolas’ hands. “Legolas Thranduilion, will you do me the great honor of becoming my lover?”  
Legolas hesitated. Aragorn saw the longing in his eyes, but it warred with Legolas’ sense of protection and duty. Aragorn’s waited on tenterhooks, praying that Legolas would take him.   
“Yes,” Legolas breathed. “I must be insane, but yes. The rest of the world be damned. You’re the only thing that makes sense to me, Estel. All the rest can burn.”  
Warmth blossomed in Aragorn’s chest. “Then may I kiss you?”  
“Always, Estel.”  
They moved into each other’s arms, and their lips met.  
It was everything Aragorn had ever dreamed of. Legolas’ lips were soft yet firm, and warm against his. They kissed lightly, a brief teasing of lips, feeling each other out. Aragorn laid kiss after kiss on Legolas’ delectable lips, pulling the elf’s bottom lip into his mouth to suck on gently.  
Legolas moaned and clutched Aragorn tighter, tilting his head back and letting his mouth fall open slightly. Aragorn took the invitation at once, tentatively prodding his tongue into Legolas’ mouth. Legolas responded by opening further, letting him in.   
Aragorn kissed Legolas deeply, loving the sounds he was drawing from the elf. Kissing Legolas was like the most intoxicating wine. Aragorn couldn’t get enough of it.   
His cock was a hard bar in his pants, but for once, he didn’t need to hide it. He thrust his hips against Legolas’, and he could feel the elf’s arousal, which excited him even further.   
Aragorn gently lowered Legolas to the ground, breaking away from the kiss. “Do you…?”  
“Yes, Estel,” Legolas whispered. “Yes.”  
Aragorn started slowly undressing the prince. He pulled off his tunic and licked briefly at his nipples before moving to his pants. Legolas’ cock sprang free, standing up to attention, little beads of precome on the tip.   
Aragorn couldn’t resist licking them. A ragged cry was torn from Legolas’ lips as he bucked his hips upward. Aragorn loved the sound and endeavored to hear it again. He took Legolas’ cock into his mouth, all the way to the base.   
Legolas thrust his hips up, the tip of his cock hitting the back of Aragorn’s throat. Aragorn gagged slightly, but managed to recover.   
He reached up and fingered Legolas’ nipples as he swallowed the elf’s cock.   
“Why do you still have clothes on?” Legolas demanded.   
Aragorn had been so absorbed in touching his lover that he’d forgotten that Legolas would probably want to touch him too. He pulled off Legolas’ cock. “Sorry. Let me remedy that.”  
He stripped quickly, being careful to mind the bandages on his arm. Aragorn watched Legolas carefully, wondering how the elf would feel about his flawed human body. He saw nothing but raw desire in Legolas’ eyes. Aragorn grinned.   
He lay back down between Legolas’ legs, taking his cock once more into his mouth. Legolas was soon a writhing mess of need, bucking up with every thrust, hitting the back of Aragorn’s throat over and over again.   
Aragorn soon got over his gag reflex and just enjoyed the feeling of Legolas in his mouth. The elf tasted delicious.   
Legolas whimpered in desperation and bucked up one more time. The he cried out Aragorn’s name as he came hotly into the man’s mouth. Aragorn swallowed, managing to get most of it. Some come dribbled down his chin, and he used his fingers to scoop it up and put it in his mouth. Legolas watched him with sleepy eyes.   
Aragorn was acutely aware of his own aching cock. He’d never done this before, but he knew how it worked. “I don’t suppose you have a lubricant?”  
Legolas shook his head. “I have saddle oil, but it’s back there by the twins.”  
Aragorn groaned. Elf senses were much stronger than human ones, and the twins would be able to smell the sex on them. There was no way they were going to go back and get the saddle oil without an argument.   
“Another time, then. I want to be inside you.”  
“Valar, Estel, I want that too. For now, thought, let me take care of you.”  
Legolas pushed Aragorn onto his back, reversing their positions. He settled down between Aragorn’s legs and gave the underside of his cock a long, slow lick.   
Aragorn had touched himself before, but he had never felt anything like the intense bolt of lust that went through him now.   
Legolas licked up and down his cock, teasing the tip before moving back down to the base. Aragorn was about ready to grab the elf’s hair and force his mouth onto his cock when Legolas finally did it.  
He swallowed Aragorn’s cock, humming in pleasure. The humming sent the most delicious vibrations through Aragorn, and he groaned as he thrust his hips up. He was so turned on, he didn’t know how long he would last, and was suddenly glad that they’d left the saddle oil back with the twins. When he finally took Legolas, he wanted it to last. He’d need to build up some stamina first.   
Legolas’ tongue was magical, and the things it did to Aragorn’s cock drove him out of his mind with need.   
“Legolas – I’m close,” he panted.  
Legolas hummed again in acknowledgement, picking up his pace. It no time at all, Aragorn was crying out the elf’s name as he came down his throat. Legolas swallowed, the divine motion of his throat drawing Aragorn’s orgasm out even longer in hot pulses.   
Finally, it was over, and Aragorn went limp, a sweaty mess. Legolas crawled up to him and kissed him lazily. Aragorn tasted his own release on the elf’s tongue, and found that he liked it.   
He held his arms out, and Legolas came eagerly into them. “I love you.”  
“As I love you, my Estel.”  
They lay there for too short a time. Aragorn would happily have stayed here forever with Legolas. However, they needed to face reality at some point. The twins would be angry, and Aragorn would rather get that argument over sooner rather than later.   
“We should go,” he said regretfully.  
Legolas groaned. “I suppose you’re right.”  
The two of them cleaned up as best they could, all too aware that the twins would smell their release – not that it would be needed when they saw their flushed, sweaty faces.   
Aragorn took Legolas’ hand and squeezed it. They two of them walked back side by side, ready to face the twins.


	8. Chapter 8

Legolas

The twins both turned at the same time as Aragorn and Legolas walked back into camp. It was almost comical how their expressions went from relaxed to an almost identical scowl. If those scowls hadn’t been directed at him, Legolas would have laughed.   
Legolas and Aragorn sauntered past them holding hands, not bothering to try to hide.  
“What have you done?” Elladan growled.  
“What I’ve been wanting to do for years.” Legolas squeezed Aragorn’s hand. “I know you don’t approve, but Estel and I are both adults, and we’re in love. I would hope that you would be happy for us, but if you can’t be, Estel and I will just have to live with that.”  
“You can’t,” Elrohir insisted, his voice low and worried. He turned to Aragorn. “Estel, he’ll die. You know that. How can you do that to him?”  
“Legolas will die when I do anyway, regardless of whether we pursue a relationship.”  
“If he takes a break from you, he might feel differently –”  
“No, I won’t, Elladan. This is not a debate. Estel and I are together. If you insist on arguing this with us, Estel and I will take our leave of you for now and continue this hunting trip on our own.”  
The twins were practically gnashing their teeth in frustration, but they knew how stubborn Legolas was.   
Elladan eventually spoke, and he sounded calmer when he did. “We can continue our hunting trip together. I love you both, and I don’t want this to cause a rift between us. I can’t pretend I approve, but you are right; it’s not my choice.”  
“Do not expect Ada and Thranduil to think like that,” Elrohir wanted.  
Legolas flinched. “They love us. It may take some time for them to accept it, but eventually, they will be happy for us.”  
“Even if they’re not, they will simply have to learn to live with the fact that we’re making a choice we disagree with.”  
Aragorn sounded so confident; Legolas wished he was as sure. Having Elrond’s and Thranduil’s blessing was important to him. They were both like fathers to him. He trusted their judgement implicitly. What would he do if they could never accept him and Aragorn?  
He knew that they wouldn’t at first. That was to be expected. But could Legolas live his whole life estranged from his father? Could Aragorn do the same for Elrond? Legolas knew that Aragorn loved his father fiercely, and he would be miserable without his support.   
Could he truly continue a relationship with Aragorn if it would come at such a cost to both of them? Legolas couldn’t imagine giving the man up, not now that he truly had him in the way he’d wanted him for years, but he wouldn’t cause Aragorn pain, even if it broke his heart to leave him.  
He’d have to convince Elrond and Thranduil to accept their relationship. It was that simple.   
“Are you alright?” Aragorn’s voice was low, but the twins could still surely hear.  
“I’m fine.” Legolas didn’t want to worry Aragorn needlessly. He would talk to Elrond when they got back and secure his blessing. For now, he was determined to enjoy this time with Estel.   
Legolas got out some lembas from his bag and offered some to Estel and the twins. “So, where to today?”  
“If we travel north for a few days, we can go to the plains where that herd of bison usually grazes.” Elrohir took a bite of his lembas, starting thoughtfully into the distance.  
“Sounds good to me.” Aragorn finished the rest of his lembas and got up. “Shall we go?”  
Aragorn led the way; it was, after all, his adventure.  
That left Legolas behind him, staring at Aragorn’s fine ass. He felt his cock start to rise, which made walking awkward and difficult, but there was no way it was going to go down with Aragorn’s muscles flexing like that right in front of him. At least he didn’t need to worry about hiding it from Aragorn anymore.  
It took all of Legolas’ willpower not to pounce on the human. If they had been alone, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but he thought the twins would take a rather dim view of the him and Aragorn stopping in the middle of the day to be intimate.  
The day dragged on, and Legolas was counting the hours until they stopped. When the sun finally went down, he left the twins to set up camp and grabbed Aragorn’s wrist. “I need to speak with you in private.”  
Aragorn didn’t protest as Legolas led him out of earshot of the twins. Apparently, his mind was going in much the same direction as Legolas’, as the moment they were far enough away, he pressed the prince against a tree and kissed him.  
Legolas moaned into Aragorn’s mouth and kissed him back passionately. Aragorn ground his hips into Legolas’, pressing their erections together.   
Legolas broke away, panting for breath. Estel took the opportunity to kiss the elf’s neck. Legolas tilted his back, allowing Aragorn better access.   
“Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” he gasped as Aragorn nipped his neck lightly. “Watching your ass all day was driving me crazy.”  
Aragorn hummed slightly, unable to talk, as his mouth was occupied in pressing kisses to Legolas’ exposed neck.   
He moved upward, kissing Legolas’ chin, his cheeks, and finally flicking his tongue over the elf’s pointed ear.   
Legolas’ knees nearly buckled, and they would have done so if Aragorn hadn’t been pressing him so firmly against the tree. He thrust his hips wildly into Aragorn’s as a ragged cry was torn from his lips.  
“So, it wasn’t just rumors, then,” Aragorn murmured, his hot breath in Legolas’ ear sending another bolt of desire through the prince. “Elf ears really are sensitive.”  
“Do it again,” Legolas demanded.  
Aragorn obliged, and Legolas was lucky he didn’t come right there and then. “Estel, I need you.”  
Aragorn pulled back, smiling. “Look what I remembered to pocket this time.” He pulled out a bottle of saddle oil.  
Legolas tore at Aragorn’s clothes, trying to get them off as fast as possible. Aragorn did the same with him, leaving their ripped clothing in a pile on the ground as they kissed again. The kiss was deep and filled with heat and desperation.   
“Take me,” Legolas whispered, breaking away from Aragorn’s delicious mouth for only a moment. “I am yours.”  
Aragorn gently lowered Legolas to the ground and spread his legs. Legolas quivered under the man’s touch, spreading his legs further, allowing Aragorn better access.  
Aragorn coated his fingers in saddle oil and used one of them to gently prod at the entrance to Legolas’ ass. It felt foreign and yet so good at the same time. Legolas gasped as Aragorn slowly pushed one finger into his ass.  
Aragorn paused, watching Legolas’ face carefully. “Shall I keep going?”  
“I will part your head from your shoulders if you do not.”  
Aragorn chuckled and pushed his finger in all the way up to the knuckle. Legolas squirmed a little, loving the feeling of Aragorn’s digit inside him.  
“More.”  
“Demanding, aren’t you?”  
“You love it.”  
“I do,” Aragorn agreed, his eyes dark with lust, his pupils blown wide. He pushed in another finger and started thrusting in and out.  
Legolas grunted in helpless pleasure as he thrust back against Aragorn’s fingers. Then Aragorn scissored his fingers back and forth. One of them brushed against a spot deep inside Legolas’ ass that sent waves of pleasure blazing through him.  
“Right there, Estel – right there!”  
Aragorn grinned and did it again. Legolas was wild with need as he ground himself down on Aragorn’s fingers. The man pushed a third finger inside, filling Legolas up so perfectly that Legolas had never felt anything better in his life.   
Legolas’ cock was aching, and he put a hand on it, crying out in ecstasy as he started pumping his himself furiously.   
Aragorn pulled his fingers out of Legolas and removed the elf’s hand from his own cock. “Not yet, meleth nin. I want you to come when I’m deep inside you.”  
Legolas wanted that too. “Then hurry.”  
Aragorn positioned himself so that his cock was pressing against the entrance to Legolas’ ass. “Tell me if I’m hurting you. I’ve never done this before.”  
“I haven’t either, but I know how it works. It will hurt at first, but that should fade soon enough.”  
Aragorn nodded, his face set in concentration as he pushed tantalizingly slowly into Legolas’ ass.   
Legolas could feel himself stretching around Aragorn’s cock.   
Aragorn paused, waiting for Legolas’ nod before continuing.   
It did hurt at first, but the pain quickly faded to be replaced with pleasure as Aragorn slowly started thrusting in and out of Legolas’ ass.   
Legolas cried out the human’s name as Aragorn his that spot inside him once more. “Yes, Estel, yes, just like that!”  
Aragorn pounded the same spot relentlessly, his face tight as he fought for control. Legolas could see that his lover was close to losing that control, and he wasn’t far behind. Legolas took his cock once more in his hand.  
It didn’t take long. Three strokes, and he was coming harder than he’d ever come in his life. Aragorn groaned as Legolas’ ass contracted around his cock, and then he came too, shooting his hot seed into the elf’s body.   
Aragorn leaned down to nibble at Legolas’ ear, sending Legolas spiraling deeper into his orgasm. He came and came, his cock spurting all over his hand and belly.   
It seemed to last forever. When it ended, Legolas started dazedly up at Aragorn.   
Aragorn leaned down to kiss him. This kiss was lazy and sated.   
Legolas winced as Aragorn pulled out of his ass. Aragorn lay down beside him, and Legolas eagerly went into his lover’s arms.   
The two of them lay there catching their breath for several minutes. “I love you,” Aragorn told Legolas once his breathing had evened out.  
“I love you, Estel.” Legolas knew he had a silly grin on his face, but he didn’t care. His heart was singing with joy.   
The two of them took their time cleaning up and getting back to camp, by which time the twins already had a stew cooking. They both pursed their lips in disapproval, but didn’t say anything. Legolas wasn’t worried. He was sure that Elladan and Elrohir would come to accept his and Estel’s relationship eventually.  
It was their fathers he was worried about, but Legolas put that concern from his mind for now.   
Over the next two weeks, they hunted together, as they were doing before, but now, everything was different.   
Legolas’ own bliss was mirrored in Aragorn, and the two of them could scarcely be separated. Each night, they found an excuse to sneak away from camp and enjoy each other’s bodies. During they day, they talked and laughed together, much like they had before, but this time, there was no longing for each other, only reaching for one another and reveling in the fact that they could be together.   
Knowing that Aragorn returned his love left Legolas alight with happiness. It felt like everything in his life made sense, now that things between him and Aragorn were as they should be. Legolas was sure that the two of them were destined to be together. How could something that felt so right be anything other than fate?  
Even the twins started to soften, seeing how happy their brother and friend were. The two weeks they spent together were the happiest of Legolas’ long life.   
The wound in Aragorn’s arm healed, to become but a distant memory. Legolas swore that he’d never let Aragorn put his own health or happiness before Legolas’ again. That didn’t seem to be a problem at the moment, though. Aragorn was positively alight with joy, just as Legolas was.   
Unfortunately, they had to get back to reality at some point. They delayed returning to Imladris as long as they could, but Legolas could tell that Aragorn was starting to get homesick. Eventually, he suggested that they return to the valley.   
Aragorn hesitated, but finally agreed that it was probably for the best. Both of them were nervous about Elrond’s reaction. They discussed it a little, but neither could really do much except try to comfort the other.   
They did nothing more than put their packs down and clean up a little before heading to Elrond’s study. Legolas wanted to get this conversation over and done with as soon as possible.   
Elrond was waiting for them, smiling widely. “Legolas, Estel. I am glad you’re back.”  
“Ada.” Aragorn moved to hug his father. Legolas could see the relief in Elrond’s eyes. Aragorn still disagreed with Elrond’s decision to keep his heritage from him, but he was no longer angry. “Legolas and I have some good news.”  
“Oh yes?” Elrond gestured for them both to sit down, his eyes going from one to the other. He could no doubt see that they were both nervous.   
“We’re in love, Ada. Legolas and I are together now, as lovers.”  
Elrond’s expression darkened. “Estel, you cannot. Surely, you know this.”  
“What I know is that I love Legolas, and he loves me. Nothing else matters.”  
“Even his death? How could you do that to him, Estel?”  
“That is not the case, hir nin,” Legolas said quickly. “That I will not live long after Estel dies has been true for many years, long before we became lovers.”  
“Penneth, you do not know what you say. You may have been in danger of fading after Estel’s death before, but if you do this, it is a certainty.”  
Legolas hated the uncertainty in Aragorn’s eyes at Elrond’s words. “It is my choice to make,” he insisted. “I choose a mortal life with Estel, rather than a lonely eternity without him.”  
Elrond sighed deeply. “I cannot stop you, but I will not pretend that I approve of this. I worry for both of you. If you do this, your lives will be filled with turmoil and trouble. There’s a reason men and elves aren’t together like this.”  
Legolas felt a flicker of uncertainty of his own. He wanted what was best for Aragorn. Elrond was known throughout the lands for his great wisdom. If he was dead set against their relationship, could Legolas really ignore his counsel?  
He wanted to be with Aragorn more than anything, but the last thing he wanted was for the human’s life to contain more hardship than it needed to.   
“Legolas, you should also know that your father will do more than disapprove of this. He does not condone relationship between males, let alone for his own son. He will want you to produce an heir. He will likely try to kill Estel if he finds out what the two of you are doing.”  
Legolas wanted more than anything to tell Elrond he was wrong, but the words stuck in his throat.  
Elrond wasn’t wrong.   
Legolas knew that Aragorn would choose him, but at what cost? They would have to live their lives as fugitives. How could he do that to Aragorn? How would Aragorn ever take the throne of Gondor if he was running for his life from Greenwood soldiers?   
No, Elrond was right. Legolas felt like his heart was breaking as he realized it, because he knew what he had to do. They left Elrond’s office in silence, each immersed in his own thoughts. Legolas went to his chambers, telling Aragorn he needed some time alone to think.  
Aragorn kissed him, and Legolas leaned into the movement, knowing it was the last time he’d feel the man’s lips on his.  
Legolas closed the door behind him and fell to his knees. Tears ran down his cheeks. He’d just found Aragorn; how could he let him go? He had to, though, for Aragorn’s sake. Legolas had been blinded by love before, but Elrond had opened his eyes.   
He’d always known that their relationship would be fraught with perils, but Legolas had been willing to endure it for Aragorn. What he wasn’t willing to do was watch the human suffer for being with him.   
Talking with Elrond always brought him to the truth of matters, even if it wasn’t a truth he liked. Legolas trusted Elrond’s opinion more than almost anyone – except Aragorn’s. But Aragorn couldn’t be objective in this any more than Legolas could.   
He couldn’t stay here. The temptation of Aragorn so nearby would be too much. Legolas had to leave, before Aragorn could convince him that Elrond was wrong. Legolas wanted Aragorn too much, and if he stayed, he would allow himself to be convinced, to the man’s detriment.   
Legolas packed up his things as quickly as he could, then got out a quill and paper. With a shaking hand, he started writing out his goodbye.


	9. Chapter 9

Aragorn

Aragorn wondered how much time to himself Legolas needed. He longed to be in his lover’s arms, but if Legolas wanted time to think, then Aragorn would gladly give him that. He resolved to wait for Legolas to come to him.   
Four hours later, Aragorn was coming to regret that decision. What if Legolas was alone and hurting in his room, agonizing over what Elrond had said? Aragorn could see how upset Legolas had been by the elf lord’s words. Maybe the best thing for Legolas would be to talk it over with Aragorn.   
Legolas didn’t often come to others with his troubles. He was too stubborn for that. In hindsight, Aragorn should have suspected the prince’s ‘nightmares’, simply because Legolas voluntarily came to him for help with them   
No, it would be down to Aragorn to go to his lover and wrest it out of him if Legolas needed help. With that in mind, he went to Legolas’ chambers and knocked on the door.   
“Let me in, meleth nin –”  
The door drifted open at his touch. It wasn’t locked. It wasn’t even closed properly. Perplexed, Aragorn stepped inside, but Legolas wasn’t there. For a split second, Aragorn thought that Legolas had simply gone to spend some time outside, but that thought vanished when he looked around his lover’s chambers.   
Legolas’ things were gone.  
Aragorn’s heart went cold.  
Elrond’s words must have bothered the prince more than he had realized. On Legolas’ desk was a letter. Aragorn snatched it up. Unsurprisingly, it was addressed to him.

My dearest Estel,

I am sorry to leave in this way, but I am afraid that if I made my goodbyes in person, you would convince me not to do what I know I must. Elrond is right. I didn’t want to see it, but I cannot close my eyes when you are the one who will pay the price.  
I will bring only turmoil to your life if we continue in this. It breaks my heart to leave you, but I will not hurt you. My heart will always be yours, but we can be no more than friends. I will return in Imladris in a couple of months, once I am sure that I have my feelings under control and I can be trusted to be merely your friend again.   
Once more, I am sorry.  
I love you.

Yours, always  
Legolas

Aragorn laid the letter down with a shaking hand. Why hadn’t he realized that this was coming? Legolas was too noble for his own good. Of course, he wouldn’t hesitate to leave Aragorn if he thought he was hurting Aragorn by staying with him. Legolas would sacrifice anything for the people he cared about, even his own heart.  
Aragorn carefully folded up the letter and put it in his breast pocket. He refused to believe that this would be the end of his and Legolas’ relationship. He would simply have to convince the wood elf that being apart was more painful for him than being together.   
Though he was weary of travelling and had been hoping to spend some time at home, Aragorn didn’t hesitate. He packed up his things and grabbed a horse from the stables. Legolas already had a head start on him, but Aragorn would ride fast and catch up to him. He had to.  
His heart beat furiously in his chest, both from anxiety over catching Legolas, and from hurt. Even though he knew Legolas’ reasons, it still felt like a punch in the gut to know that Legolas would leave him so easily.  
Aragorn still loved Legolas more that anything, but he would never have thought that the prince would hurt him like this. He did his best to breathe through the pain, reminding himself that it wouldn’t last long. He’d find Legolas, convince him he was wrong, and then the pain would go away.  
At least, he hoped it would. Even when they were together again, Aragorn suspected that he would still feel betrayed by Legolas’ past actions, but that was something for the two of them to work through together.   
He set off at a gallop. Legolas was most likely going all the way back to Greenwood. He would pace his horse. No doubt he thought his letter would discourage Aragorn from going after him. Well, he was wrong.   
Night was just falling when Aragorn finally caught up to Legolas. He ran his horse forward, in front of the prince’s and cut him off.  
“Estel,” Legolas sighed. “I should have known.”  
“That’s right, you should have.” Aragorn suddenly found himself angry. “How could you, meleth nin? You just left, without even saying goodbye!”  
“I’m sorry, Estel, but I thought –”  
“You thought wrong! How could you just throw away everything we had, Legolas? Do really mean that little to you?”  
Legolas paled. “Estel, that’s not – I love you – it is for you that I did this –”  
“That’s a pile of horse dung and you know it, Legolas. You left because you’re afraid, afraid of not getting acceptance from our fathers. Well, that doesn’t matter to me. Why does your father’s blessing matter more to you than my love?”  
Legolas spoke with determined calm, though Aragorn could see that he was trembling. “You are wrong, Estel. I do this for you. My father’s blessing does matter to me, you are right in that much, but I would never leave you for any reason but one. You are better off without me.”  
Aragorn roared in frustration. “How can you even say that! I love you!”  
Legolas dismounted from his horse and held out his hand for Aragorn. “Come, Estel. Let us talk.”  
The two of them attached their horses’ reins to a nearby branch and sat down on the forest floor.   
Legolas took both of Aragorn’s hands in his. “Please listen to me, Estel. I love you more than anything, more than life itself. That is why I will not hurt you, even if my own heart dies every day I’m not with you. My father would never accept us. Thranduil is not like Elrond. He wouldn’t be content to let us know he disagreed with our decision. He would want you dead for stealing my heart away.”  
That much was true. Thranduil loved Legolas and wanted the best for him, but he had the tendency to take things too far in ensuring Legolas’ safety and happiness.   
“That doesn’t matter to me.”  
“Think it through, Estel. My father would try to kill you. We’d be left with the choice of killing him, or living the rest of our lives as fugitives.”  
That gave Aragorn pause. He would never consider killing Legolas’ father, but Legolas was right. They would spend the rest of their lives on the run from Thranduil’s guards. Aragorn would risk everything for Legolas, even that, but how could he ask Legolas to give up his life as a prince to be a fugitive with him?  
He couldn’t. He knew Legolas would do it in a heartbeat if Aragorn asked him to, but it wasn’t fair of him to ask the woodland prince to do it.  
Aragorn opened his mouth to come up with an argument for why they could still be together, but nothing came out.   
He fought back tears as he realized that Legolas had been right all along. Their love would be tragic, doomed from the moment Thranduil found out.   
“You’re right,” Aragorn whispered through numb lips. “Of course, you’re right. I’m sorry; I should never have come after you.”  
Legolas turned away, but not before Aragorn saw the pain on his face. He could tell that Legolas had been hoping that Aragorn would find some way, impossible as it was.   
“Goodbye, Estel.” His voice was choked with unshed tears and his shoulders tense. Legolas untied his horse, mounted, and rode away.  
Aragorn should call after him, but he didn’t. He wouldn’t hurt Legolas, not even if it meant the end of his own happiness.   
He let himself crumple to the ground, clutching at his chest.  
How could he ever have thought he could have Legolas? He was foolish ever to have dreamed.   
Everything inside his a mess of pain and confusion. The only thing that was clear was his bright, shining love for Legolas… but a light too bright could burn, and Aragorn wouldn’t risk Legolas burning for anything.   
He flopped back onto his horse and returned to Imladris. His brothers found him several hours later with puffy eyes and a scratchy voice.  
They sat down on either side of his bed. “Legolas is gone?” Elladan guessed.   
Aragorn nodded. “It can’t work between us,” he whispered.   
Elrohir clasped his shoulder tightly. “I am sorry, gwador. I never wished this pain on either of you.”  
“You were right. If I’d just listened to you, maybe I could have spared myself some of this pain.”  
Even as he spoke, Aragorn realized that that wasn’t right. He wouldn’t trade those golden two weeks he had spent with Legolas for anything, no matter how much it hurt now.  
“Well yes, you should definitely listen to us more. You’ve always been rather dense, and you need the guidance of older, wiser beings.” Elrohir winked at him.  
Aragorn hit his brother with a pillow.  
“Don’t worry, Estel, we’ll have you cheered up in no time.” Elladan had a truly evil look on his face.  
“No, I’m fine,” Aragorn said quickly. “I don’t need cheering up. I’m perfectly cheerful.”  
“You will be,” Elrohir promised.  
Aragorn groaned as the twins left.   
He woke up the next day to frogs. Over five dozen frogs of all shapes and sizes in his room. He absolutely did not scream like a baby and run straight for Elrond’s study. Aragorn hated frogs, and the twins knew it.   
The next day, all of his tunics and pants had been replaced with dresses.   
After that, the twins hired a bard to follow him around and repeat everything he said in song, with accompanying music from a fiddle.  
His weapons vanished and were replaced with wooden practice swords. His healing bag went missing too, to be replaced with a bag full of horse dung.   
By the end of the week, Aragorn wanted to kill his brothers, but he had to admit, they had distracted him from thoughts of Legolas. He went to bed each night worrying about what new torture the twins would come up for him, which was better than lying awake with nothing to think about but his aching heart.  
He spent so much time chasing the twins all over Imladris that he was exhausted each night and fell asleep easily. He did worry about Legolas. Legolas didn’t have two devil brothers to distract him from his misery. He probably wouldn’t be able to confide in Thranduil, given that Thranduil was likely to explode if Legolas told him the truth.   
Aragorn didn’t have much time to worry about anyone except himself, though. Elrond didn’t approve of the twins’ method of ‘cheering Estel up’, and was on the verge of putting them in the stocks for a day to teach them a lesson. It wouldn’t be the first or last time for either of them.   
When Aragorn needed a break, he would go and sit in his father’s study to read, or simply talk with Elrond. They discussed healing, fighting, matters of the heart, and everything else. Aragorn never ran got tired of talking to Elrond, whose endless knowledge, wisdom and compassion made him a perfect confidant.  
Glorfindel decided that the best way to help Aragorn get over his heartache was with a sword. The two of them trained together for countless hours. Aragorn always came away aching and tired, but satisfied.   
Aragorn’s heart was still broken, and he still missed Legolas more than he would have thought possible, like he would miss a missing limb, but he was surviving. He only hoped that the same could be said for his love.


	10. Chapter 10

Aragorn

Aragorn was sparring with Glorfindel when he saw Elrond stride out across the lawn, headed straight toward him. Aragorn stared at his father, wondering what was making him look so worried, and failed to block a blow from Glorfindel. He yelped as the wooden practice sword came down hard on his shoulder.  
“You need to pay better attention than that, or even the slowest orc will get you.”  
“Glorfindel, wait.”  
Glorfindel consented to pause, his attention also caught by Elrond, who was now level with them. “Estel, I need to talk to you in my office. Quickly, please.”  
Aragorn dropped his sword and hurried after Elrond, almost having to run to keep up with him.   
“What happened? Is it the twins? What kind of trouble did they get themselves into this time?”  
“Your brothers are fine. I’ve received a letter from Thranduil, about Legolas.”  
Aragorn’s heart turned to ice as he stumbled to a halt, his feet suddenly feeling like lead blocks.   
“Come, Estel.” Elrond took him by the arm and urged him on. “Legolas is alive. There is still hope for him.”  
This did little to allay Aragorn’s fears. The fact that Elrond needed to clarify that Legolas was alive meant that his condition was grave indeed. “What happened?” he croaked, tripping over his own feet as he tried to keep up.  
“I think you should read it for yourself.”  
They reached Elrond’s office, and Aragorn dove for the unfolded letter in the center of the desk.

Lord Elrond

I want to know what you have done to my son. He was fine when I sent him to Imladris, and he came back broken. He won’t talk to me, or anyone else, but it’s obvious that something is deeply wrong. Over the past few weeks, he has become weak and pale, sleeping and eating little.   
I know the signs. He’s fading, El – my son is dying. Please, you must come quickly, before it is too late. I can’t lose him. 

Thranduil 

The letter fell from Aragorn’s numb fingers. He hurtled out of the study toward his chambers and started cramming anything he could reach into a bag. A voice in his head was screaming, Legolas, Legolas, Legolas.  
Aragorn would die if Legolas did. His heart would shrivel in his chest and give up. He couldn’t lose the love of his life. He wouldn’t survive it; he didn’t want to.   
Elladan stepped inside, grabbing Aragorn by his shoulders. “Estel. Breathe.”  
“Let go!” Aragorn struggled to get free and keep packing, but his panicked flailing wasn’t able to dislodge Elladan’s hands.  
“If you don’t take a moment to breathe, you are going to pass out, tithen munidor. Then Ada will insist on delaying our journey until he is certain you are well.”  
Aragorn blinked stupidly up at his brother, only noticing now that Elladan was wearing his travelling clothes. “Our journey?”  
“Elrohir and I were there when Ada got the letter. You didn’t think we’d really stay behind when Legolas is in danger, did you?”  
In truth, Aragorn hadn’t thought that far ahead, but if he had, he would have insisted the twins come with.   
“We have to go, now! Legolas could fade at any moment, and if I’m not – if I’m –”  
Elladan forced him backward until Aragorn was sitting on the edge of his bed. “Breathe, Estel. Panicking won’t help the situation. We’ll be gone within the hour, as long as you can keep it together. Take a moment. Calm yourself, or you will only slow us down.”  
He was right, of course. Aragorn forced himself to take deep breaths, only realizing once he did how dizzy he had been before. He shoved the image of Legolas lying in bed dying out of his mind and tried to think logically about what they needed to pack. It was a long journey to Greenwood, and never had it been so important that they make it there safely, with no delays.   
Aragorn nodded to Elladan, who finally released him. “Pack your things, Estel. Think carefully about what you want to bring, because we need to travel lightly, but we also can’t afford to make any stops on the way for things we forgot in our haste.”  
“Thanks, El. I’m ok, now.”  
He was far from ok, but he was well enough to keep packing.  
Within half an hour, he and the twins met Elrond at the stables. Their horses were saddled and ready. The four of them mounted up in grim silence. It wasn’t often that Elrond left Imladris; the fact that he was going without any hesitation told Aragorn exactly how serious the situation was.   
Legolas was like a son to Elrond, and his life was in grave danger.  
“Ada? Is this my fault? Am I the reason Legolas is fading? Is it because I let him go?” Aragorn could hear the slight tremble in his voice, and he gulped air, trying to hold back tears.  
“Even if it is because of the two of you, that will not make it your fault, Estel. You have told me what happened between you and Legolas. You both came to the same decision. This is not something you forced on him.”  
“But if it is because of us, that means I’m –”  
“We will not know until we get there, Estel. Try not to dwell on it. Making yourself sick with worry won’t help Legolas.” Elrond gave him a kind smile. “Now come. We will ride hard and long. With luck, we will make it to Greenwood in two weeks.”  
Aragorn only hoped that Legolas could last that long. 

***

Aragorn, Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir clattered into the courtyard of Greenwood palace, dusty and exhausted. Aragorn didn’t stop to rest but leapt off his horse before it had even stopped moving, staggering into a run toward Legolas’ chambers.  
There were people talking around him, but their voices were a blur. He could only think of getting to Legolas.  
Thranduil was sitting by Legolas’ side when Aragorn burst in, holding his hand. The king leapt up at once. “Estel, thank the Valar. Is Elrond with you?”  
“He and the twins are on their way.”  
Aragorn dodged around Thranduil, who was already hurrying off, no doubt to greet Elrond.   
Legolas was as pale as the sheets he lay on, and his breathing seemed labored. Still, he smiled when he saw Aragorn.  
“Estel,” he breathed. “I knew you would come.”  
“Of course I came.” Aragorn sat down on the edge of the bed, taking Legolas’ bony hand in his. When was the last time the prince had eaten? He longed to take Legolas into his arms and kiss him, but Aragorn remembered that he couldn’t do that anymore. They had broken off their romance… but that didn’t mean that Legolas wasn’t still his friend – his best friend.  
“What is wrong, mellon nin?” Aragorn suspected he knew already but he was hoping Legolas would deny his suspicions.   
“Nothing. I am fine, Estel.”  
It was so ludicrous that if the situation hadn’t been this serious, Aragorn would have laughed. “You know you are not. You are fading, Legolas. Your father wrote to us, begging Ada to come, telling him that you are dying.”  
“My father is overreacting.”  
“No, he isn’t. I can see it for myself. You don’t have long left unless you let us help you. Please, mellon nin, you must let us save you. I cannot lose you.”  
Legolas’ gaze broke away to the carpet. “You know what is wrong, Estel, and you cannot change it,” he whispered.   
So it was his fault. Aragorn forced himself to remain outwardly calm for Legolas’ sake. “I will find a way to fix this, Legolas, I promise you.”  
“You can’t –”  
Legolas broke off as Elrond and the twins rushed into the room, followed by Thranduil.  
Elrond brushed Aragorn aside, and Aragorn let him. He watched with bated breath as Elrond started examining Legolas. He checked the prince’s pulse, looked into his eyes, listened to his breathing and asked about his eating and sleeping patterns.  
At this, Legolas stared at the carpet again, not answering.  
“He sleeps for barely two hours a night, and we’re lucky if we can get him to eat once a day.”  
“I’m not tired, or hungry,” Legolas mumbled.  
“Nevertheless, you need to eat, penneth,” Elrond told him firmly. “You will only fade faster if you do not.”  
Elves didn’t need as much sleep or food as humans, but Aragorn knew that Legolas needed more than he was getting, especially when he was fighting his grief.   
His last, desperate hope, that Elrond would deny that Legolas was fading, came crashing to the ground.   
Reversing the death of a fading elf was difficult in the extreme. There was all too great a chance that Legolas would die, even with Elrond’s help.   
“Thran, I need to speak to Legolas alone. My sons and I will join you in your office in half an hour. Estel, Elladan, Elrohir, please go and see that the horses are properly tended to. They have had a rough journey.”  
Aragorn knew that the horses were fine. Thranduil’s staff would have seen to that. It was just a way for Elrond to get them out of the room.   
Elrohir must have realized he was close to resisting the order, because he took Aragorn’s arm in a firm grip and started pulling him away. Elladan took his other side, and the twins marched him out of the room before he could think to protest.   
He was barely aware of what was happening around him. Aragorn could smell horses and realized that they must be at the stables, but all he could see was Legolas, dying in bed because of him.   
Strong hands maneuvered him to so that he was sitting down on a short wall. An indeterminate amount of time passed, and then Elladan was pulling him to his feet. “Time to go, Estel. Ada is waiting to talk to us.”  
That got his attention. His surroundings came back to him with a crash. Aragorn broke into a run, this time headed toward Thranduil’s office.   
He arrived just as Elrond was opening the door, with the twins not far behind him. “How is he, Ada? Is he going to be ok?” Aragorn demanded.  
“Come, Estel, sit. I need to talk to Thranduil. If you can remain calm, you may stay with us.”  
“I am calm!” Aragorn bellowed.   
The twins rolled their eyes. Elladan shoved Aragorn into a chair.   
Elrond sat opposite Thranduil, who looked scarcely less impatient than Aragorn, though he hid it better. “Well? What has happened to my son?”  
“Thran, you know we have been friends for a very long time. I would never lie to you, or deceive you. You trust me, do you not?”  
“Of course I trust you, El. That’s why I called you here! What does that have to do with Legolas?”  
“What I need to tell you is going to be difficult to hear, but if you truly want to help Legolas, you need to hear me and do exactly as I say, or Legolas will die.”  
“I’ll do anything to save him, El. You know that.”  
“Legolas and Aragorn are in love.”  
Thranduil’s chair went clattering away as he leapt to his feet, his face going bright red. “WHAT?”  
He turned his outraged gaze to Aragorn. “You –”  
“Sit down, Thran!” Elrond said sharply. “I told you, if you want to help Legolas, you have to listen to me.”  
Thranduil sat down only with great reluctance.   
“As I said, Legolas and Aragorn are in love. They have been for a good number of years, but they only confessed their feelings to each other recently, when Legolas was last in Imladris. They were together for a short time, but after talking to me, they agreed that they could never be together. They came to this conclusion mostly because they knew that neither of us would ever accept their relationship.”  
Elrond paused for a moment to let his words sink in.   
“Legolas is fading from grief, the grief of losing Aragorn as a lover. Having him as a friend isn’t enough anymore. If he is to survive, you and I must learn to accept their relationship. Anything else and Legolas dies.”  
“But – but – he’s a mortal! He can’t be with an elf! Legolas would die!”  
“Legolas is dying now. Your choice is to let him die now, or let him die in the span of a mortal lifetime. I’ll be the first one to admit that it isn’t an ideal choice. If I had my way, Legolas would live forever. However, these are the choices before us, whether we like them or not. Failing to act will only ensure that Legolas dies sooner rather than later.”  
“How could you do this to him?” Thranduil snarled at Aragorn. “You’ve broken him.”  
Thranduil and Aragorn had always gotten on very well. Aragorn had heard of the elvenking’s wrath, but it had never been directed at him before.   
Elrond didn’t give him a chance to reply. “Casting blame will not help Legolas, Thran! We need to deal with the situation as it is, or Legolas dies. You need to accept Aragorn as a son in law, or Legolas dies. You need to do so quickly, or Legolas dies. What will it be? You must make your choice now. Legolas does not have long left.”  
Thranduil was breathing hard. He held Elrond’s gaze for almost a minute before speaking. The ire drained out of his face. “I won’t pretend to be happy about this, but I will do anything to save Legolas, even this. Welcome to the family, Estel.”  
Thranduil opened his arms. Aragorn stepped into them, scarcely managing to believe it. Thranduil was accepting him? It was impossible, and yet, it was somehow happening.  
He looked over Thranduil’s shoulder. “Ada?”  
“I, too, will do my part, Estel. I accept you and Legolas as lovers, and some day, as husbands.”  
“I want grandchildren,” Thranduil said gruffly, releasing Aragorn.  
“They will have to be adopted –”  
“I know that. I will love them just the same, just as Elrond loves you.”  
Aragorn’s heart swelled with joy as the truth fully hit him. “Legolas and I can be together?”  
“We have only removed those obstacles we put in your way,” Elrond reminded him. “He is still an elf, and you are still a man. He will still die when you do.”  
“Estel needs to go to Valinor when he dies,” Thranduil said firmly. “Even the undying lands cannot heal Legolas’ heart if Estel is not there.”  
“Agreed.” Elrond nodded, frowning.  
“What do you mean, to Valinor? I’m mortal. That’s not even possible, is it?”  
“Exceptions have been and will be made.” Elrond’s expression softened. “The Valar are not heartless. I think there is a good chance we can secure your place in Valinor. We need to talk to Mithrandir.”


	11. Chapter 11

Legolas

The door opened and Aragorn bounded in. Before, he had looked pale and drawn, but now he was positively joyful.   
“Legolas!” He perched on the edge of Legolas’ bed, taking his hands and grinning widely. “It’s all going to be alright. Our fathers have agreed that we can be together!”  
Legolas stared at him in disbelief. “Elrond, maybe, but my father would never condone me having a human lover, especially a male one.”  
“He did! Ada convinced him, and he’s not entirely happy, but he’ll accept us. He has no choice if he wants you to live.”  
Legolas was opening his mouth to explain to Estel that he must have misunderstood what Thranduil had said when the door opened again. Thranduil and Elrond came in.   
“Estel speaks the truth, Legolas.” Thranduil gave him a pained smile. “If I need to accept your and Estel’s relationship to keep you alive, then that’s what I will do. There are some details to consider, but we’ll find a way to make it work, together.”  
Legolas’ heart expanded so much that it took his breath away. He gasped a deep breath, feeling like it was the first time he had truly breathed in weeks. “Do not toy with me, Ada. It will only make things worse if you say this now to help make me better and take it back later.”  
“I am not going to take it back, ion nin. I swear this to you.”  
Legolas realized that he had a silly grin on his face, just like Aragorn. Strength was rapidly returning to his limbs, and he reached for the human’s face. Aragorn moved into him, and the two of them kissed.  
It felt like the world suddenly made sense again. Legolas gasped into Aragorn’s mouth, desperate to pull his lover closer. He drew Aragorn’s tongue into his mouth, relishing in the slick feel of their mouths moving together.   
The door closed, and a quick glance showed that Elrond and Thranduil had made a wise retreat. Aragorn climbed properly onto the bed, lying opposite Legolas as they kissed and kissed until they were both dizzy. Legolas’ cock was a bar of iron in his pants, and the way Aragorn’s cock was pressed against him left him in no doubt that the man felt the same.   
Legolas tried to pull off his sleep shirt, but he was still weak from spending weeks in bed, and his arms flopped exhaustedly to his sides.   
“Let me,” Aragorn murmured. He helped Legolas sit up and pulled the shirt over his head. His pants came next, with Aragorn lifting Legolas’ hips upward to help the pants slip down over his ass.   
“There, that’s better.” Aragorn smiled down at him, but his expression was laced with worry. “You’re still recovering. If you’d rather rest –”  
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Estel. If you stop now, your balls will have an unfortunate encounter with my hand that will leave you unable to sire an heir.”  
“Well, that won’t be a problem, since we’re going to adopt.”  
“It is not a good idea to tease a prince, Estel. I could order the guards to put you in the stocks for your insolence.”  
Aragorn just grinned and kissed him again. Legolas moaned and tilted his head back, deepening the angle of the kiss. When Aragorn broke away, they were both panting.   
“You need rest, Legolas. Healer’s orders. You’re going to lie there and let me have my way with you.”  
The words sent a bolt of desire through him. “Well, I suppose I couldn’t go against a healer’s orders.”  
“I thought not.” Aragorn started licking his way down Legolas’ neck and chest. He circled Legolas’ left nipple with tantalizing licks before finally taking it into his mouth.   
Legolas gasped at the feeling of Aragorn’s tongue flicking against the sensitive nipple. Then Aragorn began to suck. Legolas wound his fingers into the human’s hair, making noises that were definitely not appropriate for a prince to make, but right now, he didn’t care about anything other than that Aragorn kept doing what he was doing.   
Aragorn pulled back and gently disentangled Legolas’ hands from his hair. “Lie still,” he admonished. “Let me explore you.”  
How could he say no to that?  
Legolas let his arms fall to his sides, but couldn’t help arching slightly into Aragorn’s touch as the man put his attention back to Legolas’ nipples.   
Aragorn sucked on nipple while rolling the other between finger and thumb. Legolas’ cock was already leaking precome and clamoring for attention. Aragorn ignored it, lavishing attention on Legolas’ nipples until the elf was a writhing, panting mess.   
“Kiss me,” Legolas breathed.   
Aragorn didn’t need telling twice. His lips met Legolas’ in a scorching kiss. The way Aragorn moved rubbed their erections together, drawing moans from both of them. Legolas bucked his hips up, desperate for more friction.   
Aragorn finally took pity on him and moved down to his cock. He licked around the base with tiny, ticklish touches that drove Legolas utterly wild.   
Just when Legolas thought he was going to lose his mind with unrealized lust, Aragorn finally took the elf’s cock into his mouth. Legolas cried out and gritted his teeth, trying with all his might not to come too soon. He wanted to come with Aragorn inside him, but that was going to be difficult if Aragorn kept swirling his tongue over the tip of Legolas’ cock like that.   
“Estel – you need to – I’m going to – oh yes, Estel, yes!”  
Aragorn pulled off just in time, grabbing the base of Legolas’ cock tightly. Legolas writhed on the mattress as his body tried fruitlessly to come, but Aragorn’s tight grip prevented it.   
“Need you, Estel,” he said thickly, still thrusting desperately upward, his whole being screaming for release.   
“Spread your legs.”  
Legolas did so, trembling in anticipation. Aragorn looked through the drawers until he found a lotion that suited his purposes, coating his hand liberally.   
He pushed one finger slowly into Legolas’ ass. “More, Estel. I need more.”  
Aragorn obliged by adding a second finger. Then he twisted them, hitting that perfect spot inside Legolas. It nearly made his vision blank out with white hot pleasure. Aragorn grabbed the base of Legolas’ cock again, preventing him from coming too soon.   
The man added a third finger, and then a fourth. The feeling of being filled up by his lover’s fingers was beyond divine. Legolas felt like he could stay like this forever, squirming on Aragorn’s fingers, his cock aching and twitching, his ass contracting slightly around the intrusion.   
Aragorn brought his head up level with Legolas’ and gently nibbled his ear.   
“Are you ready for me, my love?”  
“Yes, Estel,” Legolas breathed. “So ready.” If Estel kept doing that with his ear, he was going to come so hard that the entire palace would hear him scream.   
Aragorn coated his cock with lotion and lined himself up. He pushed in all the way with one swift thrust. He didn’t give Legolas a chance to recover, but started thrusting immediately. Legolas could feel the desperate need for release in Aragorn’s every movement, a need that mirrored his own.   
Legolas wrapped his legs around Aragorn’s waist, completely forgetting to lie back and relax.   
Aragorn was too far gone to correct him. Legolas moved his hand to his cock, but Aragorn batted it away, replacing the elf’s hand with his.  
Legolas was already right on the edge. Two, three, four strokes, and he was coming in ecstatic pulses, his ass contracting around Aragorn’s cock as his release roared through him.  
“Legolas – Legolas, yes!” Aragorn came too, slamming is cock deeply into Legolas’ ass. The two of them were suspended in a moment of bliss as their cocks emptied.   
Aragorn fell off to the side, panting harshly. Legolas’ belly was a mess from his own release, but he didn’t have the energy to get up. Aragorn rolled over and kissed Legolas lightly on the lips. “I love you.”  
“I love you, Estel.”  
Aragorn smiled tenderly down at him. “Your color is already better. How are you feeling?”  
“Tired, but I suspect that is as much from our recent activities as anything else.”  
“Yes, you’re not very good at lying still, are you?”  
“Not when your cock is involved.”  
Aragorn got up and went to the bathroom. He returned with a damp cloth and wiped Legolas down. Legolas let his eyes slip closed and a small sigh of pleasure escaped him.   
Aragorn took the cloth back to the bathroom and returned to the bed. He lay down on his back, and Legolas immediately snuggled closer, putting his head on the man’s shoulder.   
He wanted to talk to Aragorn, to find out what had been happening in the man’s life. Aragorn was still his best friend, as well as his lover, and he longed to know how he had fared in their time apart. Hopefully better than Legolas had.   
Before Legolas could ask anything, though, exhaustion took him and he drifted off.   
When he woke, Legolas marveled at the room around him. Everything seemed so bright and full of potential. He hadn’t even realized how gray everything had started to look before Aragorn arrived.  
Said human was snoring, his right arm still wrapped firmly around Legolas. The elf had no intention of changing the position any time soon. Instead, he drank in his lover’s face.  
Aragorn looked like he needed sleep almost as badly as Legolas. He must have ridden hard and fast to get here so soon after Thranduil’s letter. Legolas had tried to talk his father out of writing that letter, but now, he was infinitely grateful that Thranduil had ignored his protests.   
Legolas might have drifted off again, because he was jostled into awareness by movement at his side. Aragorn sat up, yawning. “How long did we sleep for?”  
“A couple of hours, by the looks of it. It’s nearly dinner time, but we should have time to bathe first.”  
“A bath sounds good. I don’t imagine our families will be very pleased if we come down to dinner smelling like we do.”  
Legolas nodded his agreement. He and Aragorn both reeked with the scent of their release, which was all too obvious to an elven nose.   
Legolas rang for the servants to draw a bath, already wondering what he and Aragorn could get up to together in the warm water.   
Life seemed full of infinite possibilities.

***

The next three weeks were some of the best of Legolas’ long life, rivalled only by those two weeks he had spent with Aragorn when they had first confessed their love to each other. The difference now was that he didn’t have the worry of Thranduil’s reaction hanging over his head.   
Thranduil had been a bit stiff at first, but as he realized how happy Aragorn made Legolas, he had gradually softened to the idea. Legolas hoped that with time, he might even approve.   
Elrond and the twins seemed to accept them easily, though Legolas knew that they were putting more effort than he could see into the endeavor. He sometimes saw flickers of worry in their and Thranduil’s eyes as they watched him and Aragorn.   
Legolas tried his best not to worry. They would deal with problems as they arose. There was no point in panicking about the future.   
Three weeks after their families had accepted them, Mithrandir came to Greenwood palace. Aragorn and Legolas waited anxiously for him to settle in. That night, they took a small dinner with just Aragorn, Legolas, the twins, Elrond and Thranduil.   
Elrond broached the subject first. “Have you had any word, Mithrandir? Will my son be let into Valinor after he dies?”  
“I have had word, and while it is not the word you were hoping for, I believe there is some hope to be had.”  
Legolas and Aragorn exchanged a look. Mithrandir always spoke in riddles, and tonight, Legolas had little patience for it. Elrond shot them a quelling look before turning back to the wizard.  
“What word have you received, then?”  
“Mortals are not usually allowed into Valinor, though exceptions can be made. Your request is for Aragorn to reside in Valinor after his death with Legolas, for the sake of their love. Thus, in order to gain admittance, the two of them must prove their love.”  
“How do we do that?” Aragorn asked at once, squeezing Legolas’ hand.   
“The Valar have assigned you a quest. You have two months to travel to the Gelea mountain range to retrieve the magical orb hidden there. Where in the mountains it has been secreted, you will have to find out for yourselves. This quest will test you both in ways you cannot imagine. If you pass the test, you will have what you want; Aragorn will go to Valinor. If not, he will die and go to the realms of men like any mortal would.”  
It wasn’t a lot go to on, but Mithrandir was right – there was hope to be had. Legolas and Aragorn had done much more dangerous things than retrieve a magical object before. the Gelea mountain range wasn’t even near orc territory. Legolas hesitated to say it aloud, but he could see by Aragorn’s smile that the man shared his thoughts: this was going to be easy.  
The time constraint meant they would have to travel quickly, and find the orb just as quickly, but Legolas wasn’t worried about that. Magic always left traces, and the trees would help guide him toward the orb.   
Legolas exchanged a look with Aragorn and saw that the two of them were of the same mind. “We’ll do it.”  
“Before you say yes, you need to hear the rest of it.”  
Of course, there had to be a rest of it.  
“What is it, then?” Aragorn sounded resigned to the worst.  
“The prince of being given this chance to prove your love is that should you fail, the love will be taken away from you.”  
“What?” Legolas couldn’t believe what he was hearing.   
“You heard me, penneth. I’m sorry, but this is the way it would be.”  
Aragorn folded his arms. “Nothing can take away my love for Legolas.”  
“The Valar can. They will erase him from your mind completely. It will be like you never knew each other.”  
“But this is the answer!” Thranduil stood up. “There is no need for this quest. The Valar can cleanse Legolas of his love for Estel, leaving him to live a full life.”  
“NO, father! I will not hear of it, you hear me? I will not –”  
“Peace, Legolas.” Mithrandir held a placating hand between the two of them. “The Valar would never do something like this without your consent. You haven’t consented to your love being taken away, and it won’t be. But if you decide to take this mission, you will be giving your consent for that to happen should you fail.”  
Legolas stared at Aragorn, at everything he had to lose… and all he had to gain. It was like it was just the two of them in the room.   
“What do you think, Estel?”  
“The mission seems reasonable. We’ve pulled off a lot harder things than that before. And the reward… I’d do anything to be with your forever, Legolas.”  
“Even lose me?”  
“If that does happen, we’ll come together again, I know it. We fell in love once. We’ll do it again.”  
“No, you won’t. The Valar will block that path.”  
Well, there went that hope. That left them with one question: were they ready to risk everything for an eternity of being together?  
“I say we do it.” Legolas found that his voice was strong and sure. “If you don’t come with me to Valinor, we’ll both be faced with an eternity of misery after you die. If we fail, then our hearts will be ripped in two, but we won’t know enough to be miserable. We can still have somewhat happy lives.”  
“There is no happiness for me without you, Legolas.”  
“You will find some, Estel, have no fear of that.” Mithrandir’s eyes twinkled kindly down at him.   
Aragorn didn’t seem to believe it, but he nodded anyway. “You are right, meleth nin. We must take the risk. Mithrandir, we accept the mission.”  
“Legolas?”  
“As Estel said, we accept.”  
“So be it. You have two months, starting tomorrow, to be back with the orb.”   
“We’ll come with.” Elladan was already standing up.   
Elrohir nodded, doing the same. “We can pack our bags and ready to leave at first –”  
“No,” Mithrandir interrupted. “Aragorn and Legolas are to do this alone.”  
“He’s barely of age,” Elrond said in quiet concern.   
“Nevertheless, these are the terms. You may take them or leave them as you wish.”  
“We’ll take it.” Legolas glanced at Aragorn, who nodded. “We will leave tomorrow at first light. Thank you, Mithrandir, for everything.”  
“Just remember to stay true to yourselves and each other, and you should be fine.”  
Legolas’ mind was already racing ahead. They could take four swift horses and rotate them. If they were lucky, he and Aragorn should be able to make it to the Gelea mountain range in just under a month, giving them a few days to search the orb before they needed to head back.  
Aragorn stood up, leaving his dinner half finished. “If you’ll excuse us, Legolas and I need pack, and then we should get some rest. We’ve got an early morning ahead of us tomorrow.”


End file.
